Please help me with a Title!
by sparkleygem
Summary: Set in the fifth year. Draco Malfoy's sister Leonora and Hermione's cousin Daphne come to Hogwart's. What will happen if they become friends? Can Daphne find out what Leonora is hiding? What will Draco say? *Finished!*
1. A discman and a chocolate frog

Chapter One  
  
Daphne Granger sat alone at the small wooden table, in her empty-apart-from- her train compartment, silently watching as trees, fields and even towns flickered past the window. She was eleven years old and she was a first year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she simply didn't know what to expect.  
  
All her family were muggles- her mum, her dad, her uncles and aunts, her cousins, EVERYONE. Her older brother Luke already thought she was a freak. He hadn't said anything, but she knew he did.  
  
Daphne sighed and switched on her Discman. She was lost without music, and her Discman went everywhere with her. In the middle of Blue (All rise), there was a knock on her compartment door and a smiling woman entered.  
  
"Would you like anything off the trolley my dear?" The woman said.  
  
Daphne jumped up and grabbed her money. She was starving!  
  
A few minutes later, Daphne stood in the hallway of the train, loaded down with sweets and watching the smiling woman go through the sliding door into the next carriage. As Daphne turned to go back into her compartment, she lost her footing and somehow managed to drop all her sweets.  
  
Glad that no one was around, Daphne quickly gathered up all her sweets and cakes. But she was wrong about the there being no one around part.  
  
As she reached for the last chocolate frog, (whatever that is!), she heard a voice behind her say: "Accio chocolate frog."  
  
To Daphne's amazement, the chocolate bar sailed up into the air, over her head and directly into the hands of the person behind her. He was medium-sized, had incredibly light blond hair and very cold, piercing blue eyes. He looked about fifteen, and was accompanied by two large (and very ugly) boys of about the same age.  
  
The blond boy smirked at Daphne as she stood up. "Let's see boys." He said in a quiet, drawling voice, "she must be a first year, because she's all alone, and she must be muggle-born because there's one of those music players in there." He nodded towards the compartment.  
  
Daphne swallowed. It's actually called a Discman." She answered quite politely.  
  
The boy gave her a cold glare. "Like I care."  
  
Daphne was actually quite shocked. She had never met anyone so rude. And did those other two actually speak at all? Daphne glared at all of them and turned to go into her compartment.  
  
"Don't you want your chocolate back diddums?" Daphne heard the sarcastic voice and several different retaliations sprang to mind. In the end she chose the line her cousin had used over the summer on her brother when he had taken the last choc-ice.  
  
Daphne put down all her sweets and turned to face the boy. "No thank you. If you are so desperate that you have to steal from eleven year old girls, keep the chocolate." She slid the door shut in his face, sat back in her chair, switched on her Discman and started on the sweets.  
  
  
  
So, what do you think? I'm sorry it's so short (though some may call it a blessing) -the next chapter will be longer. Please r/r, and be gentle! 


	2. The sorting

Enjoy my attempt at a sorting hat song. (Please don't laugh too hard).  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
"Did I say that?"  
  
"AS good as."  
  
"Did I say it though?"  
  
"You said that you didn't go to Bulgaria because you had better things to do in the summer than chase around after Vicky."  
  
"Ah hem!"  
  
"Viktor."  
  
"So I didn't say I hadn't seen him."  
  
"Well unless he came to see you- hang on. He came to see you?"  
  
"My lips are sealed."  
  
"But..."  
  
Harry Potter had had enough. "Will you two give it a rest?" He snapped at his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. They had done nothing on the train but squabble and now in the Great Hall of Hogwart's, surrounded by Gryffindors, it was no different. Harry was sick of it.  
  
"Thank you." He muttered as they fell quiet. There was a silence, which was finally broken by Hermione.  
  
"Oh look! Here come the first years for the sorting."  
  
Their gazes fell on the first years, all of which looked extremely nervous. However, all were completely distracted when Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house brought in the sorting hat. She placed it on its stool and stood back.  
  
A rip near the brim opened like a mouth:  
  
"Oh welcome on and welcome all,  
  
to Hoggy, Warty, Hogwart's school!  
  
Before you go and join your friends,  
  
(On your house of course your friends depend),  
  
You put me on so I can see  
  
What house you really ought to be.  
  
There's four from which I have to choose,  
  
(don't worry I don't use Ip Dip Do.)  
  
Rowena Ravenclaw, it seemed,  
  
Loved knowledge and so it was deemed,  
  
Those students with that extra flair,  
  
Should straightaway be put in there.  
  
However, if it's bravery,  
  
That rules your heart, (and it could be)  
  
Then don't mistrust me, just feel sure,  
  
That you're like Godric Gryffindor.  
  
Quite often there are students here,  
  
that though are wise and show no fear,  
  
are ambitious, bright and very keen,  
  
and valued by Salizar Slytherin.  
  
And then of course we have the group,  
  
A merry, thoughtful, loyal troop,  
  
They're patient, just, and oh so true,  
  
Helga Hufflepuff, they're just like you.  
  
Well now you've heard the houses dears,  
  
So throw away your doubts and fears.  
  
Just put me on and just relax,  
  
I'll sort you out, 's'matter of fact!  
  
While the hat was reciting each of the houses, the respective tables were yelling "RAVENCLAW!" "GRYFFINDOR!" "SLYTHERIN!" or "HUFFLEPUFF!" at the same time as the sorting hat. Even the first years could sense the rivalry between the houses and were anxious to be sorted and to join in.  
  
At the end of the song, the hat bowed to the four applauding tables and Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, stepped forward carrying a large roll of parchment. Before he could say anything, however, the Headmaster cleared his throat.  
  
The headmaster was Albus Dumbledore, a very old, wise and slightly eccentric man whom Harry, Ron and Hermione greatly respected.  
  
Dumbledore stood up quickly and said: "Before the sorting ceremony begins, could the Gryffindor quidditch team please follow Professor McGonagall. Quickly please."  
  
Harry stood up and followed the rest of his team and the Professor out of the hall.  
  
"And could the Hufflepuff Quidditch team please follow Professor Sprout." The Hufflepuffs stood up and followed the other Professor out of the hall as well.  
  
Ron and Hermione exchanged baffled looks and then turned to watch "Andrews, Caitlin!" being sorted into Ravenclaw.  
  
***  
  
Daphne stood somewhat impatiently in line, as "Cooper, Jake!" was sorted into Gryffindor. To distract herself, she looked around at the banners decorating the walls (there were four of them, each depicting either a badger, snake, lion or raven), and wondered what 'quidditch' was.  
  
***  
  
Harry and the rest of the team returned to their seats as "Glind, Ama" was being sorted into Hufflepuff. Hermione and Ron started on him at once.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Is it to do with the new captain?"  
  
Harry lowered his voice and spoke quickly. "We had to vote for who we wanted as captain. McGonagall already had Wood's vote."  
  
Oliver Wood had been the previous Captain of the quidditch team, and had left two years earlier. They needed a new one.  
  
Ron was going to say something else, but caught McGonagall's eye and fell silent. The three of them sat and watched "Jackson, Marie!" becoming a Slytherin.  
  
Ron suddenly nudged Harry.  
  
"Harry. I forgot. Look, you see that tiny little blond girl on the end? Do you know who that is?"  
  
Harry shook his head.  
  
"Her name's Leonora Malfoy. She's Draco's little sister!"  
  
Hermione and Harry stared at the girl. She looked terrified, and her glance often strayed to the Slytherin table.  
  
***  
  
When it was her turn to be sorted, Leonora squared her shoulders and walked determinedly to the Sorting Hat. Only Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne noticed her hands were trembling.  
  
The Sorting Hat took a long time to decide for Leonora. After three minutes, people started grumbling. Most, Ron included, were saying: "Just put her in Slytherin already!" Others were moaning about hunger. Leonora, though nobody could tell, was petrified. If she wasn't put in Slytherin, her father would, well, she didn't want to think about it.  
  
So when she heard the sorting hat shout after five full minutes, she almost fainted.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
There was a stunned silence as Leonora Malfoy placed the sorting hat back on its stool. She walked to the Gryffindor table, her legs shaking, as the entire table suddenly erupted with applause. Most of them were in fits of laughter at the look on Draco's face.  
  
Leonora wasn't laughing as she sat down next to another first year, with bushy brown hair and a friendly face.  
  
"Hi! I'm Daphne Granger." The girl said. "Want to be friends?"  
  
Leonora smiled for the first time since she had received her Hogwart's letter.  
  
"Sure, I don't see why not."  
  
  
  
So, what do you think? OK, the song was lame, but what do you want from me? Draco's sister and Hermione's cousin, well that should be interesting. Please r/r. 


	3. Draco v Grangers

Thank you to my reviewers, I really wasn't expecting anyone to review at all!  
  
1 Draco v Granger  
  
Daphne and Leonora talked as though they had been friends for years. For Daphne, it was her first time talking to a proper witch. For Leonora, it was her first time talking to a muggle- born. It wasn't as bad as she had been brought up to believe it was. She was actually enjoying herself.  
  
As a Malfoy, she was supposed to be above muggle- borns, but she was also meant to be in Slytherin, so Leonora found she didn't care. This girl was really nice.  
  
But fear of her brother kept her anxious.  
  
After everyone had eaten, Dumbledore stood up. "Welcome first years! I hope you like what you have seen of Hogwart's thus far. I have a few notices to give out. Those below the third year are forbidden to enter Hogsmeade village, and everyone is forbidden from the forest in the grounds. Also, our new defence against the dark arts teacher will be Remus Lupin." (There was a gasp from the students, and Dumbledore could sense a verbal outburst, and so he continued quickly.)"However, as we all know, tonight is the full moon and so Professor Lupin won't be here until tomorrow afternoon. Now off you go to bed. Go on!"  
  
Leonora, Daphne and the rest of Gryfindor house stood up.  
  
Daphne looked around at the crowd. "Er, where are we meant to go?" She asked Leonora, who simply shrugged.  
  
"First years! Gryffindors! Follow me please!" A female voice drifted across to them. They looked up to see who it was. They were too short though, and soon got lost in the crowd. However, not everyone was as short as them, and one such person had already spotted them. He made his way over to them.  
  
"You two are first years, right?" He asked, dodging people as they pushed passed. He was very tall, had dark red hair and a fair few freckles. It was, of course, Ron Weasley.  
  
Daphne and Leonora nodded, and he motioned for them too follow him.  
  
He led them through the crowd and brought them to a small group following an older girl out of the hall.  
  
Ron turned to them and said: "Just follow this lot, and try not to get lost." He winked at them and went to join the girl in front of the group.  
  
"He seemed nice." Remarked Daphne.  
  
"Mmmm, but he had to be nice to us, didn't you see his prefect badge?" Said Leonora.  
  
"Oh well, he still seemed nice."  
  
They fell into silence as they walked into the Entrance Hall, feeling too tired to talk. They were jut about to ascend the sweeping marble staircase when Leonora felt a rough hand on her shoulder. She knew instantly who it was.  
  
Sure enough, there was Draco. He looked ready to live up to his name and spit fire.  
  
"Um, hi Draco." Said Leonora hopelessly.  
  
Her brother didn't answer; he merely glared. He didn't release his grip on her shoulder and it was really starting to hurt.  
  
"Um, Draco, could you." Began Leonora, squirming.  
  
"How could you Leonora?" You're a Malfoy. A MALFOY. You don't belong in Gryffindor, how could you do this to the family? Father will be furious."  
  
Daphne looked at the boy who she had met on the train, now terrorizing her new friend. Worst still, it seemed they were siblings. They actually looked like each other, now she thought about it. They had the same eyes, although Leonora's were a warmer shade of blue.  
  
"Draco please. I, I didn't mean to." Leonora began again.  
  
"Oh please." Scoffed Draco. "The sorting hat sorts you, but you choose the house really. If you were a true Malfoy you would be in Slytherin. You're a disgrace to the entire family. You're no sister of mine."  
  
Daphne saw the hurt in Leonora's eyes and couldn't hold back any longer.  
  
"Stop it! You think she did it on purpose to annoy you or something? As if you're worth it! Anyway, I still don't know what your problem is, so what if she's in Gryffindor? It's not the end of the World!" She said loudly. A few people stopped to watch this first year take on Draco Malfoy.  
  
Ron and Hermione heard the voice and turned around. They could only see the back of the head of the girl who had spoken, but they could see Draco and Leonora. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. Ron's eyes narrowed, and he started down the stairs again. Hermione stood undecided.  
  
Draco Malfoy stared at Daphne in disbelief. He let go of Leonora and turned to face her instead.  
  
"It's none of your business. How's your Walkman by the way? It won't be able to keep you company at Hogwart's. And neither can my sister, she has better taste."  
  
Daphne's eyes narrowed. "Funny. I could have sworn you just said she wasn't your sister." She shot back at him.  
  
"Keep your mouth shut you filthy mudblood."  
  
All the people standing round gasped in unison. Leonora was beside herself, trembling with rage. How could he?!  
  
Draco felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to face Ron Weasley's chin. Ron had grown quite a bit over the summer, and was now a lot taller than Malfoy.  
  
"I think you'd better go back to your basement, Malfoy, before I do something that you'll definitely regret." Ron said calmly.  
  
Malfoy smirked. "I won't regret seeing you burp up slugs, Weasley."  
  
Leonora's eyes widened as she realised that the nice prefect who had found them in the hall was Ron Weasley, and if Draco's stories were anything to go by, he was anything but nice.  
  
"You'll regret being turned into a ferret though, Malfoy." Said a voice behind Leonora. She turned to see a short, black haired, bespectacled boy leaning against the banister.  
  
It had to be Harry Potter. Draco talked about him so often; Leonora felt she already knew him.  
  
A third voice came from someone standing on the steps. "They're getting really good at the jelly- legs curse if you're interested, Malfoy." Leonora looked up. She couldn't see who was speaking through the crowd, but she knew the voice belonged to Hermione Granger, the third of Draco's archenemies. He was always telling Leonora stories about her, but as far as she could tell, he was just jealous of her good marks.  
  
Malfoy's narrowed. He turned to Daphne. "It's a good thing you've got Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest here to defend you."  
  
Hermione's will power snapped. She was down the stairs in a flash. Nobody called her dumb and got away with it. Harry and Ron saw the fury on her face and had to hide their laughter. Hermione reached the bottom of the stairs, but before she could say anything her eyes fell on Daphne, and she froze.  
  
Malfoy smirked. "Touched a nerve have I Granger? Or is it just mudbloods helping mudbloods?"  
  
Hermione's eyes snapped back to Malfoy. "No." She said sweetly, waving her wand as if she were performing some sort of charm. "It's just family helping family. Never mess with my cousin."  
  
Suddenly, there was a resounding yell in the Hall, as everyone standing around watching yelled: "DRACO MALFOY SUCKS!"  
  
Malfoy whirled around to stare at everyone. That was when all the people on the staircase noticed the sign that had magically appeared on his back. It said:  
  
"IF YOU LIKE QUIDDITCH YELL  
  
DRACO MALFOY SUCKS"  
  
The entire staircase burst out laughing. Harry had collapsed onto the floor with laughing so much, while Ron and Hermione had to hold onto each other to keep standing up.  
  
Malfoy realised there was a sign on his back, ripped it off, and pulled out his wand.  
  
Ron, Hermione and Harry noticed this, pulled out their wands and turned to face him, trying not to laugh.  
  
"What's going on? What's the hold up?" It was Professor McGonagall. The four of them quickly put their wands away.  
  
Malfoy glared at them. "This isn't over Granger." He said, turned, and stalked away with as much dignity as he could muster.  
  
Hermione shot an amused look at Daphne. "I wouldn't pick a fight with Malfoy, at least not until you know how to disarm him properly. And stop looking at me like that Daphne, surly you didn't think you were the first witch in the family?"  
  
  
  
I know Hermione seems really weird in this chapter, but it's only coz she's really protective of Daphne. Please r/r, and be nice! 


	4. Down in the kitchens

Maddy- It was Hermione who conjured up the sign on Draco's back, wasn't that pretty obvious? Oh well.  
  
1 Down in the kitchens  
  
The next day when Leonora woke up, she had to stop and think for a moment about where she was. Then it all came back to her, and she felt her stomach disappear. The sorting, Daphne, Draco, what Hermione did.  
  
Leonora felt sick. She knew that Hermione had just been looking out for her cousin, but she really had no idea what she had done. Draco would be furious, and as for her father.  
  
Leonora sat up in bed and looked at her watch. It was half past six, and she knew that the alarm bell didn't go off until seven thirty. Now she was awake though, she couldn't go back to sleep. She got up silently, dressed, and made her way out of the dormitory.  
  
The winding stairs were quite steep, but Leonora was used to towers: her bedroom was in one at home. She smiled to herself, thinking how weird it must seem to others that she sleeps in a tower at home. Kind of like in a fairy tale, when the princess is held prisoner by a dragon. Well, Draco wasn't that bad.  
  
Leonora stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She wasn't the first one up at all. In front of the fire, and looking like she had been there for quite a long time, was Hermione Granger. Hermione looked up and saw her before she could slip away again.  
  
"Um, hi." Whispered Leonora.  
  
Hermione smiled. She had a really friendly smile, Leonora couldn't help noticing, and she seemed a lot nicer than Draco had described her.  
  
"Hi Leonora. I see I'm not the only early riser anymore. That's a relief." Said Hermione.  
  
Leonora walked slowly across the room and sat down awkwardly in a large squashy armchair. Most of the chairs at home were made of wood and carved all over, and this soft one was a little weird.  
  
There was a silence as Leonora looked around the common room. There were lots of chairs like the one she was sitting on, some sofas, and lots of tables. On the wall, next to the exit, hung a large notice board. It was bare right now, apart from an advertisement for something called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Leonora vaguely remembered being told something about it by Draco. Her eyes wondered back to the table in front of Hermione, which was covered in papers. All of them had S.P.E.W written at the top. Leonora stared at the papers.  
  
"Er, what's spew?" She asked timidly.  
  
"S.P.E.W. It stands for Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."  
  
"Elfish Welfare? What do you mean?"  
  
"House elves. It's disgusting the way they're treated. No pay, no holidays, no respect."  
  
Leonora heartily agreed with Hermione. A few years ago, her family had had a house elf, called Dobby. Dobby had had to do everything in the house, but on top of that, one of his main jobs was making sure Leonora behaved herself. She didn't know why, but her father had never really trusted her. Over the years, Dobby and Leonora had become good friends, but he was always terrified, filthy, and covered in bandages. Three years ago, Dobby had been freed. Leonora had no idea why, and had never seen him again.  
  
"How many members do you have?" Asked Leonora curiously.  
  
"Well, um," Hermione suddenly looked very embarrassed. "A few. I mean, business is always slow at first, no matter what you're doing.  
  
"Well, sign me up." Said Leonora.  
  
Hermione looked shocked. There was no other way to describe it. She hadn't expected this at all.  
  
"That is, if I'm allowed to join." Leonora said uncertainly.  
  
Hermione snapped out of it. "Of course you're allowed to join! It's just that, well, you're the first person to actually really want to."  
  
"Didn't, I mean, didn't Harry and Ron want to join?" Asked Leonora.  
  
Hermione smiled weakly. "I'm not sure. I just signed them up."  
  
"Oh. Well, you see, we, my family, we used to have a house elf. He was really nice, but my father, he." Leonora stopped suddenly. She remembered the way Dobby used to stop mid-sentence and would suddenly start shouting "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" Now she knew how he felt.  
  
Hermione was looking at Leonora in a weird way. "What? What's wrong?" Asked Leonora worriedly. Had she said too much?  
  
Hermione smiled. "Nothing, nothing at all. Look, let's go down and get breakfast."  
  
She said, standing up and gathering her papers.  
  
Leonora hesitated. "Um, I think I'd better wait Daphne."  
  
Hermione smiled again. "Oh, we'll be back by the time she gets up, if I know my cousin at all. I just want to show you something, really quickly."  
  
Leonora nodded and followed her out of the portrait hole.  
  
Five minutes later, she and Hermione found themselves in a corridor hung with lots of paintings, mostly of food. Hermione stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit, and Leonora watched, astonished, as she started tickling the pear in the picture. The pear giggled and turned into a doorknob. Hermione smiled and said: "Welcome to the kitchens, Leonora." Then she twisted the doorknob and pulled the hidden door open.  
  
Leonora followed Hermione inside, and felt her eyes widen in surprise. There were dozens of house-elves, preparing all kinds of breakfast foods, and, she couldn't help noticing, mint humbugs. Suddenly a high voice rang out.  
  
"Good morning Miss Hermione!"  
  
Hermione and Leonora looked down and saw an elf, carrying a teapot and wearing a tea- cosy for a hat. Leonora jumped a foot in the air and Dobby dropped the teapot, causing it to smash into a dozen pieces.  
  
Hermione giggled. "Reparo." She said, pointing her wand at the teapot, which flew back together and onto the table.  
  
Dobby hadn't even realised the teapot had been dropped. "Miss Lori?" He gasped.  
  
"D, Dobby?" Stammered Leonora. "Oh my G- Hermione, how did you know?"  
  
Hermione smiled smugly. "Well, I knew he used to belong to your family. After all, it was Harry who, um, persuaded your father to free him."  
  
Leonora smiled happily. She decided that Hermione was definitely someone she wanted as a friend.  
  
Ten minutes later the three of them were sitting by the kitchen fire, Dobby and Leonora talking animatedly and Hermione listening quietly.  
  
"How long have you been here Dobby?" Asked Leonora.  
  
"A year Miss Lori. A year this very week. We have been very happy here."  
  
"We?"  
  
"Me and Winky."  
  
"How is Winky?" Asked Hermione.  
  
"She is doing much better now Miss Hermione, thank you. She is over there, making bacon." Dobby pointed across the room to where Winky the house- elf was cooking about thirty pieces of bacon, and talking quite cheerfully to another house- elf.  
  
Hermione smiled happily. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."  
  
Suddenly they heard the kitchen door open and turned to see Harry and Ron, followed by Daphne, entering. They spotted Hermione through the crowd of house- elves and made their way over.  
  
"Good morning! Wow, I'm impressed. I mean, it's only ten past seven." Hermione said brightly. " And how did you know where to find us?"  
  
"We found all your spew stuff, so we thought that you probably would have brought Leonora down here to see Dobby. And poor Daphne was wondering around like a lost, lonely soul so we brought her as well." Replied Ron, nicking a roll off of one the tables. The house- elves standing around beamed happily and hurried off to get some more.  
  
"Hi dobby." Said Harry. "This is Daphne, she's Hermione's cousin."  
  
Dobby jumped up and bowed to Daphne. "I'm very pleased to meet you Miss Daphne."  
  
Daphne giggled and curtsied to him. Dobby looked a bit confused and Harry and Ron started laughing.  
  
"Anyway, we came to find you because all Gryffindors have to be at breakfast this morning, McGonagall's orders. There's gonna be an announcement or something." Said Ron, taking another roll, and chucking one to Harry.  
  
"Oh, alright." Said Hermione, jumping up. She loved announcements.  
  
"Bye dobby, I'll come and see you again. I promise." Said Leonora, standing up as well.  
  
Dobby beamed, and bowed as they left. When they reached the door, Hermione turned to Ron. "Oh, by the way, before I forget," She said with a smirk, "it's S.P.E.W, not spew." 


	5. The announcement

Thank you to my reviewers.  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah yeah, you know what I'm gonna say.  
  
1 The announcement  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Leonora and Daphne walked up to the Great Hall, and arrived just in time to find seats together. Ron and Harry wasted no time in helping themselves to food, but the three girls just sat talking about what the announcement would be. Hermione was amazed that Ron and Harry didn't seem in the least bit curious.  
  
"Hermione, we know what the announcement is going to be about. I'm amazed that you haven't figured it out yet." Said Ron when Hermione voiced her opinion.  
  
"What's it about then?" She asked.  
  
"The new Quidditch captain." Said Harry, helping himself to more bacon.  
  
Hermione laughed. "Well now I'm amazed that Harry can actually eat. Aren't you nervous?" She said, staring at him.  
  
"I suppose so, but I also know that it's not gonna be me. I'm the person who's been on the team the shortest time, and that makes me the least qualified. I don't know the first thing about being a Quidditch captain."  
  
"I think you'd make a good Quidditch captain." Said Leonora quietly.  
  
"Well, thanks Leonora, but you can't really say that, after all, you've never seen me play or anything." Said Harry.  
  
Leonora smiled. "Yeah, but, I feel like I have because, well, you should hear Draco go on about you. He's told me about all the Quidditch matches he's played against you, and as far as I can tell, he's always lost. And I think Draco's quite a good flyer, so that must mean you are as well." She said quickly.  
  
Harry grinned. "He talks about me? Awww."  
  
Ron started laughing but Hermione gasped.  
  
"Quiet, I think Dumbledore's about to make the announcement!"  
  
The five of them looked up to the staff table, where Albus Dumbledore was standing, waiting for silence. A hush fell over the Great Hall. Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Good morning everyone! I don't think I've ever seen so many people here for breakfast at the same time, especially the Gryffindors, I know how fond you all are of sleeping late."  
  
The Gryffindors laughed politely, and Ron muttered "Hear! Hear!" under his breath.  
  
Dumbledore continued. "Now, I am about to make the announcement of the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain, but first, let us remind ourselves of the candidates, who are the members of the Quidditch team and current holders of the house cup." There was a loud cheer from the Gryffindors, but Dumbledore raised his hand for silence.  
  
"I am sure each of the members of the team would make a splendid Quidditch captain." There was applause for the team.  
  
"Who did you vote for, Harry?" Whispered Hermione.  
  
"Alicia Spinnet." He whispered back.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "And the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain, with an overwhelming six out of seven votes, is Harry Potter."  
  
There was a deafening cheer, not only from the Gryffindor table, but also from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables too. Some of the Slytherins were clapping politely, but not many of them. Draco Malfoy looked like he was about explode with fury.  
  
As for Harry, the new Quidditch captain, he was sitting in complete shock, while people all around him were jumping up and down and rushing over to hug him.  
  
"Harry? HARRY!" Harry heard the voice, and looked up, dazedly at Ron.  
  
"Way to go!" He yelled. "Then he dropped his voice and muttered, "Look at Malfoy."  
  
Harry swivelled around in his seat and looked across to the Slytherin table.  
  
Malfoy was sitting still, breathing deeply, and looking ready to punch whoever dared to speak to him. Harry and Ron burst out laughing, and when Hermione and Daphne saw what they were laughing at, they joined in as well.  
  
Leonora had been cheering with the rest of the Gryffindors, but then she'd caught her brother's eye. He gave her a look that said quite plainly "If you dare." She had stopped cheering and spent the rest of breakfast in silence.  
  
Dumbledore wasn't finished. "I also have the captain of the Hufflepuff team to announce. And the captain is: Terry Boot."  
  
There was massive applause for Terry Boot, who was looking incredibly embarrassed.  
  
When the cheering for Terry stopped, and everyone was sitting down with big grins on their faces, Daphne turned to Harry. "So Harry" she said, "what's Quidditch?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry the chapter was so short; I think the next one will be longer. Anyway, please r/r, and remember, I need suggestions for a title!  
  
P.S- I'm not sure if Terry Boot is a Hufflepuff because I leant my first HP book to someone and I couldn't check. Sorry if I'm wrong. 


	6. Flowers and Dogs

Thanx to all those who reviewed. By the way, I've had to alter some of my previous chapters because I remembered that with Cedric gone Hufflepuff needed a new captain too.  
  
1 Plants and Dogs  
  
  
  
Daphne and Lori had double Herbology with the Ravenclaws first, so they said goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione at the foot of the marble staircase, which they had to go up for charms, and headed out into the grounds. They were among the first to reach the greenhouses, and so they stood around nervously waiting. Soon they were joined by the Ravenclaws, who arrived in one group, listening attentively to a brown- haired boy telling a story about a troll he had once seen near his house, and how his dad had had to perform ten memory charms on muggle witnesses.  
  
Then came Abigail and Kymberly Ellis, who looked really excited at the thought of their first ever lesson. After them came Sam Palfrey and Craig Simpson, who were explaining the rules of Quidditch to Mark Thomas, a muggle- born who had a brother in Hermione's class. Dane or something- Daphne couldn't really remember.  
  
The last Gryffindors to arrive were Lara Wallis and Jake Cooper. Daphne and Lori had already made friends with Lara- she was more friendly than Abigail and Kymberly. Oh well, they had each other after all.  
  
Lara and Jake made their way over to them. "Hi you two! This is Jake Cooper." Lara said, smiling at them. "We've known each other since we were six- we went to the same school. Didn't know he was coming here though. And his mum's a witch! Didn't know that either!"  
  
Jake smiled. "Well I wasn't about to tell everyone was I?" He said indignantly. "Anyway, what do you think about Harry Potter becoming Quidditch Captain eh? Apparently he's a pretty good seeker."  
  
Daphne shrugged. "I don't really know anything about Quidditch, but Hermione, my cousin, she says he's really good."  
  
Jake eyed Daphne beadily. "Hermione Granger? Oh, I read all about her in Witch Weekly last year. My mum gets it delivered."  
  
"Why was she in."? Daphne began, but she was interrupted by the arrival of Professor Sprout. "Good morning chaps! What are you waiting for? In you go." She said cheerily.  
  
The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws turned and walked through the door into Greenhouse One, Daphne still wondering what on earth Hermione could have done to get her name in a magazine.  
  
***  
  
At lunchtime, Daphne and Lori walked into the Great Hall to find Ron eating alone. They went and joined him.  
  
"Where's.?" Lori began.  
  
Ron answered before she finished the question. "Hermione is in the Library, for a change, and Harry's just been called away to a meeting with Professor Dumbledore."  
  
"What is the meeting about?" Asked Daphne, helping herself to beef casserole.  
  
Ron shrugged. "I think it was about Quidditch, because it was the four Quidditch captains." He shrugged again. "So how were your first lessons?"  
  
"Oh, well, Herbology was quite interesting, but I'll never get the dirt out from under my fingernails." Sighed Lori, grabbing some ham sandwiches.  
  
"Transfiguration was good. McGonagall seems really nice." Added Daphne, pouring some pumpkin juice for her and Lori.  
  
Ron looked at Daphne in surprise. "Really?" He asked in obvious surprise.  
  
Lori rolled her eyes. "She's only saying that because she was the only one to turn her match into a needle."  
  
Ron started laughing. "What?" Said Lori and Daphne together.  
  
"Oh, it's just that, at our first Transfiguration lesson, Hermione was the only one to transfigure her match as well." He said, sobering slightly. "What happened- did she smile at you?" The two girls nodded, and Ron started chuckling again. "That's just what we need at Hogwart's-," said Ron sarcastically, "another Hermione."  
  
Daphne kicked him under the table, and Ron shut up quickly.  
  
"Anyway, " Said Daphne. "Ron- why was Hermione in Witch Weekly last year?"  
  
Ron looked up with a baffled look on his face. "You what? Witch Weekly? She wasn't in- oh." His face suddenly cleared and he grinned. "Well it's kind of a long story. But as I've already finished." He pushed away his now empty plate and leant forward.  
  
"Well, there's this reporter called Rita Skeeter and last year she tricked Harry into giving her an interview. Very persuasive is Rita."  
  
"Why would she want to interview Harry?" Asked Daphne curiously. Ron and Lori looked at her blankly, and then Ron chuckled again.  
  
"Shame Harry isn't here." He said with a grin. "He'd love it if someone doesn't know who he is."  
  
"Harry's really famous." Whispered Lori.  
  
Daphne stared at Lori and Ron. "He is? Why?"  
  
"Well, um." Lori looked to Ron for help.  
  
Ron thought for a moment and then said to Daphne; "When you went to Flourish and Blotts, you bought books for background reading, didn't you?"  
  
"Yeah, how did you know?"  
  
"Just a feeling. Was one of them, er, oh god what's it called? Um, oh yeah- Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century?"  
  
"It was actually."  
  
"Thought so. Well, you know you-know-who?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The Dark Lord. He's, well."  
  
"You mean Voldemort?" Lori and Ron both grimaced at the name.  
  
"Yes." Said Ron irritably. "Well, can you remember how he, you know, how he was defeated?"  
  
Daphne frowned. She did recall reading about it. Suddenly she remembered. "Oh! He tried to kill this baby and the curse backfired or something, wasn't it? Yeah- that was it, the Boy Who Lived, what was his name?"  
  
"Harry Potter."  
  
"Yeah! Harry Pot. Oh. My. God." Daphne looked up at Ron, who was looking deadly serious, and then to Lori, who looked just as serious as Ron.  
  
"Wow, poor Harry." Daphne absorbed this shocking news for a moment and then turned back to Ron. "So what did Skeeter do?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, well she made up every answer in her interview; he didn't say any of it. She made him out to seem a right little idiot. But she also interviewed other students, and one of them was Colin Creevey." Ron nodded down the Gryffindor table to where a tiny, mousey haired boy was eating.  
  
"He said that Harry was never seen without his friend Hermione Granger. Dear old Rita said in her article that she was dating Harry." Ron shrugged.  
  
"Is that it?" Said Daphne, slightly disappointed. She was expecting a bit more than that.  
  
Ron grinned. "Not quite." He said.  
  
"It was horrible, that article she wrote about Hermione." Said Lori suddenly.  
  
"Did you read it then?" Asked Ron.  
  
"Yeah, I always read Witch Weekly."  
  
"What article?!" Demanded Daphne.  
  
"Well, we were in Hogsmeade one weekend, and Skeeter was there. She'd just written this really horrible article about our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Hagrid. Hagrid's a good friend of ours, has been since the first year. Anyway, Hermione called her a fair few names, and, well, Skeeter decided to get her own back."  
  
"What did she write?" Asked Daphne.  
  
"Well, it was just after Christmas, and there'd been a Yule ball on Christmas day. And Hermione went."  
  
"Did Skeeter write about Krum?" Asked Daphne with a frown. Ron looked very surprised.  
  
"How do you know about him?" He said, amazed.  
  
Daphne closed her eyes as if in pain. "I was staying with Hermione in the summer and dear old Vicky came to visit. Ugh, he is so annoying!"  
  
Ron looked very pleased with himself all of a sudden. "Well, she went to the ball with him, and Skeeter used it against her, saying she was two timing Harry." He finished with a smirk.  
  
"What are you so happy about?" Asked Lori curiously.  
  
Ron grinned. "It's just that I've been trying very hard to get Hermione to admit Krum came to visit her in the holidays. Thanks Daph." He smirked again.  
  
Daphne laughed. "Well, he did visit. And I spent an hour trying to teach him how to pronounce our names. In the end, I'm known as Diffanee, and Hermione's still Herm-own-ninny. He's so boring as well. He drones on and on, and you can hardly understand him half the time. God knows why she'd want to go to a ball with Vicky,- aren't those things meant to be fun?" She said, rolling her eyes.  
  
Ron shrugged. "Well, he asked her, and she went. By the way, don't let Hermione hear you call him Vicky, trust me, I've been there." He said, gathering up his bag.  
  
Daphne laughed again. "I know what you mean. She was slightly miffed."  
  
The three of them made their way into the Entrance Hall, just as Hermione came down the marble staircase. She saw them and came over. "I was just coming to find.what's so funny?" She demanded as Ron started sniggering.  
  
"Oh nothing. In fact Diffanee's just been telling me all about her stay at your house, Herm-own-ninny." Said Ron with a big grin on his face.  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed and she shot an icy glare at Ron. Before she could answer, however, a voice rang out across the hall.  
  
"Well, if looks could kill!" Ron and Hermione spun round to find none other than Remus Lupin standing in front of the oak front doors, several trunks levitating in the air beside him. The argument was forgotten in the light of seeing their favourite teacher again.  
  
"Hello Hermione, hello Ron. It's brilliant to see you again." He said, smiling at them.  
  
"Welcome back Professor! Thank you!" Said Hermione moving forward towards Lupin. He shook her hand.  
  
"Thank you for what?" He asked.  
  
"For coming back! Oh, and I'm sure Ron would like to thank you for interrupting our little argument and preventing me from severely injuring him." She replied happily.  
  
"Yeah Professor, I'm eternally in your debt and all that." Said Ron over Hermione's head. Lupin laughed. "I've missed you and Harry. How is he?"  
  
"Fine. He's the new Quidditch captain actually." Said Ron.  
  
"Good for him! Did you hear that Snuffles?" Said Lupin. He looked down at the floor. "Snuffles? Where'd that idiot get to?" Lupin was looking around wildly. Hermione glanced up at Ron, who simply grinned and pointed over Lupin's shoulder. Bounding up the front steps was a huge black dog, carrying a large pink tulip in his mouth.  
  
The dog stopped beside Lupin and looked up at him. "There you are, about time too. And where'd you get that flower?" He shook his head in disbelief.  
  
Snuffles the dog padded up to Hermione and nudged the flower into her hand. Hermione giggled and patted his head. "Thank you Snuffles. Nice to, um, meet you."  
  
Ron looked away to prevent himself for laughing, and Lupin rolled his eyes. "Come on you." He said, directing his trunks with his wand. He then saw Daphne and Lori, who were standing by the banister of the staircase, looking awkward.  
  
"Professor Lupin, this is my cousin, Daphne Granger, and Leonora Malfoy, Draco's sister. They're both in Gryffindor." Said Hermione quickly.  
  
Professor Lupin smiled at them. "I believe that you will be in my lesson this afternoon, so I'm looking forward to becoming better acquainted with you then." He looked at Lori thoughtfully for a second, and then started up the stairs, his trunks hovering in front of him and Snuffles at his heels.  
  
Sorry if this is really long, but I had quite a lot of ideas! Please r/r. 


	7. Moony and Padfoot

Moony and Padfoot  
  
  
  
"You saw Lupin? How is he?" Harry had just returned from his meeting with McGonagall and was now standing in the Entrance Hall with Ron and Hermione.  
  
"He seemed fine, except he looked really tired. But Harry-" Hermione grabbed Harry by the arm as he started to walk into the Great Hall to get something to eat. "Snuffles is with him." She muttered quickly.  
  
Harry stared at her. "Are you sure?" He asked quietly. Hermione let go of his arm and nodded. "Who do you think gave her the flower?" Put in Ron.  
  
Harry suddenly forgot about his hunger and started off up the marble staircase without another word, Ron and Hermione right behind him. They made it to Lupin's office in record time, and when they got there, they could hear Lupin having a heated argument.  
  
"Where is it you idiot? I swear that if you've taken it you will pay! Don't look at me like that you dumb mutt! Where is it, where- what are you doing now?" They heard scratching at the office door, footsteps, and suddenly it was flung open. Lupin was standing in the doorway, and seeing them his tired face broke into a smile.  
  
"Harry! How are y- OW!" Lupin was slammed against the open office door as the massive black dog bounded past him and, tail wagging furiously, trotted up to Harry.  
  
Harry went to stroke the dog, but Lupin grabbed it by the collar and pulled him into the office. "Come on in!" He said over his shoulder, struggling to hold onto Snuffles.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into the office, and Lupin shut the door behind them. Snuffles was already curled up on a large green armchair by the fire. Lupin saw him and was about to say something, but then looked like he just couldn't be bothered.  
  
"How are you both?" Asked Harry eagerly, leaning against a trunk in the corner.  
  
Lupin rolled his eyes, looking incredibly tired. "Well," he said, "in all vital respects we're fine, obviously we're very worried though. And he is driving. Me. Crazy." Lupin pointed at Snuffles, who yawned and closed his eyes innocently.  
  
"Why?" Laughed Ron.  
  
"Where do I start? He sheds hair like a Christmas tree sheds Pine needles. He's sitting on my favourite chair now on purpose because he knows this fact very well. He hides everything I need just because he's bored." Snuffles stood up on the chair, shook himself, and then settled back down again. Lupin clenched his fists. "It's not my fault you have to stay a dog, so don't take it out on me." He said in a deadly whisper.  
  
Snuffles looked up at him, and, with a faint popping sound, turned into a man. There in the big green armchair sat Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather.  
  
"Who says I have to stay as a dog?" He said, flicking some dust off the mantle-piece.  
  
"Sirius, what are you doing? If someone sees you-" Began Lupin in exasperation.  
  
"Relax Moony. Ron's blocking the door. No-one will see me." Said Sirius calmly. He stood up and reached into the pocket of his robes. He pulled out a little brass key and shrugged. "Is this what you were looking for?" He tossed the key to Lupin, who caught it, looking murderous.  
  
"So how are you Harry? How was your summer?" Asked Sirius, while Lupin turned to open a small wooden trunk on a side table with the key.  
  
"Oh, it was fine. I spent the entire summer with the Dursleys, and apart from a little grass snake getting into the kitchen somehow, it was completely boring." Replied Harry.  
  
"A snake got into your kitchen?" Asked Hermione.  
  
"Yeah. It left pretty quickly, but not before calling a Dudley a fair few names. He was standing on a chair, screaming his head off. It was actually really funny."  
  
"Um, Sirius, why are you here? Isn't it kind of dangerous?" Said Ron, who had been standing quietly by the door. Sirius looked up at Ron and sighed. He suddenly looked very tired.  
  
"Yes, it is dangerous, but Dumbledore needs me and Remus here to help. After what has happened…" Sirius paused, glancing at Harry. Harry swallowed. He knew what Sirius was talking about- Voldemort's return. "Is something happening here? Here at Hogwart's?" Harry prompted.  
  
Lupin sat down on a coffee table by the door. "We want to be close to Dumbledore so that if there are any new developments…" Lupin sighed like Sirius. "We want to help protect the school and the students."  
  
"Yeah, and as I can't exactly walk around normally, I'm pretending to be his pet. I'm a stray that he rescued during the summer and nursed back to health. I'm cute, loveable, and very friendly."  
  
"So that explains this." Hermione laughed, holding up the flower he had given her. Sirius grinned and shrugged. "I wanted to make a good first impression. Sorry if I embarrassed you."  
  
"Oh, you didn't." Hermione replied, carefully tucking the tulip into her bag. A bell rang somewhere. "It's time for Herbology already?" Cried Harry. "I haven't even eaten!"  
  
"You can have a big dinner. We'd better hurry up or we'll be late." Hermione started to push Harry towards the office door as Sirius turned back into Snuffles. Ron opened the door for them, and with a cheery wave to Lupin and his dog, followed his friends out into the corridor.  
  
  
  
Later that evening, Harry, Hermione and Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room, doing their herbology homework. They were revising Mandrakes again, and Ron was explaining to Hermione what had happened the day she was attacked in the second year.  
  
"So we got up to Hospital Wing and you was lying there like a statue. It was horrible." He finished, looking up something in the index of 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi.  
  
"It was worse being petrified, I can tell you." Replied Hermione, who had already finished her homework and was just relaxing.  
  
"It's not like you could feel anything, so it couldn't have been that bad." Said Harry.  
  
Hermione shrugged. "I wasn't completely unconscious you know."  
  
Ron looked up at her. "Could you, like, hear people and stuff then?" He asked.  
  
Hermione shrugged. "It was weird. I mean, most of the time I wasn't conscious at all, but there was this one time, when I think I might have kind of woken up. I couldn't see anything, or feel anything, I could just, well, I think I could hear someone. I remembered it when I woke up, but I just thought it was my imagination."  
  
"What did you hear?" Asked Harry.  
  
Hermione frowned, trying to remember. "Well, there were two different voices. The first one said something like: 'Do you think she saw the attacker', and the other one said: 'she's holding something'. There was more, but I can't remember it."  
  
Harry looked surprised. "That was us. Yeah, we wanted to go and see Moaning Myrtle but McGonagall caught us so we told her we were sneaking off to see you."  
  
"Oh yeah! And we found that thing about Basilisks, didn't we?" Chimed in Ron. "Mind you it took ages to get it out of your hand 'Mione, thought it was gonna tear, we really did."  
  
But Hermione wasn't listening. She was looking across the common room, to where Daphne and Lori were sitting with some of their first year friends. Daphne was showing them all something, which Lori for one seemed very interested in. Hermione suddenly saw what it was; Daphne's discman. Hermione jumped up and sprinted across the common room. She tore it out Daphne's hands just as she was about to turn it on.  
  
Daphne looked shocked. "Er, Hermione…" She began,  
  
"Sorry Daph, but you can't turn it on." Said Hermione, slowly putting the player back on the table. "Why not?" Asked Daphne with a frown.  
  
"Too much magical interference. All electrical things go haywire at Hogwart's. It'll just break." It was Ron; he and Harry had followed Hermione across the room out of morbid curiousity. Hermione looked at Ron in surprise. "Wow! Something I told you actually sunk in! Someone find Rita Skeeter, I'm sure she'd love this scoop!" She said sarcastically. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
Daphne was looking very downcast. "You mean I can't play any music? Oh great, just great." She said miserably.  
  
"Sorry Daphne." Said Hermione sympathetically. She patted Daphne's shoulder. Harry and Ron looked bewildered. "It's not the end of the world Daph, cheer up." Said Harry with an encouraging smile. Daphne nodded glumly. Hermione looked up at him. "Daphne listens to her CD's all the time, it's like cutting off her hand." She said.  
  
Ron looked thoughtful. "Well…" He said slowly. "Daphne, can I just take your, er, well whatever it's called for a couple of days? I promise I won't break it at all." He asked.  
  
Daphne looked up and hesitated. Why?" She asked. "Oh wait, just take it, it's not like I can use it anyway." She pushed the discman towards him. Ron picked it up and walked back to the table on which their homework things lay. Harry and Hermione followed him.  
  
"Ron, what are you doing?" Asked Hermione with a frown. He was scribbling a note on a spare bit of parchment. He took another bit and wrapped the discman in it, securing it with spellotape.  
  
"I'll send it to my dad." He said simply. Hermione and Harry looked dumbfounded for a minute, and then suddenly realisation dawned on them. Arthur Weasley was always tinkling about with muggle objects, and would be able to make magical additions to the discman so it would be run by magic, not by electricity. Then it would work at Hogwart's.  
  
"Good idea Ron." Said Harry. "Tell you what, use Hedwig; she hasn't gone anywhere in ages."  
  
"Alright. But I'll wait until the morning to send it." Said Ron, sitting down and picking up his homework again.  
  
"Um, Ron?" Said Hermione quietly. "Isn't that illegal, bewitching a muggle object?"  
  
Ron looked up and grinned. "It's never stopped him before." 


	8. Early morning practise

Just so you all know, this chapter is based a few weeks after Harry is made captain.  
  
  
  
Chapter five  
  
  
  
Daphne sat up straight in bed.  
  
"Damn!" She cursed, ripping aside the hangings of her four-poster bed and jumping out of it. Leonora, (surprise surprise) was already awake and sitting on her bed, reading quietly.  
  
"Good morning Daphne." She said, calmly turning a page of Hogwarts: A History. Hermione had recommended she read it and it was actually very interesting.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up Lori?" Demanded Daphne, pulling on her robes. She always called Leonora Lori now; Dobby had given her the idea.  
  
Leonora closed her book, got up from the bed and stretched. "I was just about to, actually."  
  
"But I'm already late!" Exclaimed Daphne, grabbing her wand from her bedside cabinet.  
  
"What time is it?" Said a sleepy voice from the other side of the room.  
  
Daphne and Leonora looked up at the person who had spoken. It was Abigail Ellis; she was sitting up in bed and her hair was a total mess.  
  
(A/N- I'm gonna call Leonora Lori from now on, I can't be bothered.)  
  
Lori looked at her watch. "Half past seven."  
  
Abigail's eyes widened. "What?" She exclaimed loudly. "Daphne, Leonora, do you know what Saturday means?"  
  
"Huh?" Said another sleepy voice. This time it was Kymberly Ellis, Abigail's (non-identical) twin sister.  
  
"Sorry you two, really, but we have to go somewhere." Said Daphne, quickly using a tidying charm on her hair. She and Hermione had found it in a book about a week before, and it was as valuable as a gold- mine for their bushy-Granger-hair.  
  
"Well do it quietly." Said Abigail irritably.  
  
"Yeah, sorry Abby, Kym." Said Daphne as she hurried out of the door, Lori at her heels.  
  
"Daphne, I don't know why you're rushing, I heard Harry say last night that he wasn't going to start practise until quarter to, not quarter past. " Panted Lori; Daphne was descending very fast.  
  
Daphne stopped and looked at Lori. "Really?" She said incredulously.  
  
"Yep. And I don't know why you want to go anyway, I've explained Quidditch to you and you've read Quidditch through the Ages." Continued Lori. They started walking again, this time a lot slower.  
  
"Well, I want to see how it's played." Replied Daphne, pulling open the common- room door. They went inside to find Harry and Hermione, Harry writing on a huge piece of cardboard, Hermione reading a book for a change.  
  
Hermione looked up when they came in. "Oh, hi you two. Well. I wasn't actually expecting you to get up this early Daph." She said with a smirk.  
  
Daphne smiled sweetly. "Well, I really have to find out what this Quidditch stuff is all about. I have to see it. It's the same with football; I love playing it and going to matches, but I can't watch it on T.V." She shrugged and sat down on a sofa next to Lori.  
  
Harry looked up from his cardboard. "Daphne- Quidditch is a lot different from football. You can't compare it."  
  
"Why not?" Said Daphne, sitting back and folding her arms.  
  
"Because, you just can't."  
  
"Oh- well I see now." Daphne said sarcastically. "Of course you can compare them! It's a team sport, it's very popular and it brings people together. And from what I've heard, it causes fights as well. Just like football."  
  
"You sound like Dean Thomas." Said a voice from across the room. It was Ron, just emerging from the dormitories. He yawned loudly and flopped down on a spare sofa. He stretched out and closed his eyes.  
  
"Wow. Ron Weasley up early on a Saturday when he doesn't have to be. Someone hand me my heart attack pills!" Said Hermione sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah and hand me my wand." Said Ron. "Oh, look, I already have it."  
  
He pointed it at Hermione. "Reparo." He said. Hermione's hair suddenly jumped up all over the place; Ron had removed the tidying charm.  
  
"You sod!" Cried Hermione. She redid the spell and shot Ron an icy glare.  
  
"Ooh, if looks could kill…" Grinned Lori, remembering what Professor Lupin had said a few weeks before.  
  
"Anyways," Said Ron. "I have to support Harry on his first training session. What are friends for?"  
  
"Er, for being quiet when you're trying to work out new strategies?" Muttered Harry.  
  
Ron sat up and grinned. "I'll tell you what mate, I'll go and get Gred and Feorge to make up for my horrible behaviour."  
  
Harry laughed. "That would definitely make up for it. At least the chasers can drag themselves out of bed." He said as Angelina, Alicia and Katie entered the common room.  
  
Ron got up and disappeared through the door to the boy's dormitories.  
  
A few minutes later Fred and George appeared, looking irritated at being dragged out of bed. "Geez Harry, you're gonna be worse than Oliver, aren't you?" Complained Fred, flopping down into an armchair.  
  
"Yeah," Added George. "And Oliver didn't have any evil henchmen." He said darkly as Ron reappeared with an evil grin on his face.  
  
Harry, chuckling to himself, went back to his strategies. A few minutes later, with a last flourish of his giant magic marker, (slightly different from the muggle version), he placed the large boards under his arms and stood up. "Right, let's go." He said, trying to seem confident. In truth, he was actually quite scared about his first training session; he didn't have a clue what he was doing.  
  
But the rest of the team and his friends were very supportive, and he knew they would give him all the help he needed. He was very lucky to have them.  
  
  
  
Twenty minutes later, after listening to Harry hurriedly talk through his new strategies, the Gryffindor quidditch team were in the air. They all agreed that Harry was definitely better at team talks, he didn't drone on for an hour. They zoomed around the field, racing each other and, in the case of Fred and George, dive- bombing each other. When Harry felt that they had warmed up enough, he called them all to the centre of the pitch. They hovered for a couple of minutes, listening to Harry's instructions, and then sped off in separate directions as Harry released the four balls. Instantly, one of the bludgers tried to de-broom him, but Fred was too quick for it. He hit it in a direction that none of the team were flying, and shot Harry a grin before racing off after it.  
  
Harry flew high above the practise, watching the team while searching for the snitch. He caught it twice in five minutes. He watched as George hit a bludger away from Angelina and then had to circle around her to hit it away from Katie.  
  
Katie didn't even seem to notice a bludger was near her. She was having a serious discussion with Alicia, and Angelina, who was holding the quaffle, was hanging still in mid-air, listening and sometimes adding something. Harry frowned and dived down to them.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked, hovering in front of them. Angelina, Alicia and Katie flew closer so he could hear them. "We can't practise without a keeper. The keeper is practically a fourth chaser." Explained Angelina, tossing the quaffle to Katie.  
  
"She's right. How are we supposed to practise shooting?" Said Katie, tossing the red ball to Alicia.  
  
"There's no point in us being here." Said Alicia, tossing the quaffle to Harry, who caught it, looking worried and a little annoyed. "Well, um…" He began.  
  
"What's going on?" Asked George, swooping down towards them. Harry looked up. "They say they need a keeper to practise with." He said, tossing the quaffle back to Angelina. "George, I don't suppose you…"  
  
"Not a chance Harry." George said quickly, carelessly batting a bludger away from him as if he was swotting a fly. "Me and Fred are useless at any kind of quaffle duty. Didn't you notice that last summer when we were playing quidditch?"  
  
Fred now joined in the conversation. "What about Ron?" He said simply. Harry looked up at him. "What about Ron?" He shot back, a little confused.  
  
George rolled his eyes. "Do we have to spell it out for you? Ask. Ron. To. Fill. In. As. Keeper. Geez!" Harry looked at George, then back to Fred. "Do you think he will?"  
  
"Don't know until you ask. Go on!" Said Fred. Harry squared his shoulders and dived down to where Ron was sitting talking to Hermione. They hadn't seemed to notice practise had stopped. Ron looked up when he heard Harry land. He and Hermione looked surprised to see him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Asked Ron automatically. Harry looked uncomfortable. "Um, could you, well, you see, we don't have a keeper and…"  
  
"And what?" Said Ron, looking confused. Harry took a deep breath. "Would you fill in for us?"  
  
Ron went pale. "No way!" He said without hesitating. Harry looked very put down. But he didn't give up. "Please Ron. We can't practise without a keeper, and try-outs aren't until Monday. Please?" Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm no good at goal-keeping." He said, looking shifty.  
  
"I don't care. Please do me this one favour. Please." Said Harry. He looked pretty desperate. Ron still looked doubtful though. Hermione nudged him in the ribs. "Go on Ron." She said. "After all, you did get up early to especially support Harry. So go and support him." She placed her hand on Ron's back and pushed him out of his chair.  
  
Ron frowned. "Oh alright." He said irritably. "But you owe me big time." He added to Harry who grinned widely. "Thanks mate." He said, jumping back on his broom as Ron wandered off to the broom-shed to get his.  
  
Ten minutes later, Ron was hovering in front of the goal posts, yawning and looking incredibly uncomfortable. Angelina hovered in front of him, practising penalty shots. "Thanks for doing this Ron. We really appreciate it." She said, catching the quaffle as Katie through it to her. Ron rolled his eyes. "Just be gentle, OK?" He said with another yawn.  
  
Angelina nodded. She lined up the quaffle and threw it. It was a soft shot for Angelina, who was quite a fierce chaser. However, it was still a really good shot to the left-hand post. Or, it would have been if Ron hadn't reached out his hand at the last moment and batted it away. He did this without even having to move his broom over to the left by more than a foot. Angelina looked surprised. "Um, good save." She said as she caught the slowly falling quaffle.  
  
Katie flew forward. She threw the quaffle a lot harder than Angelina, and Ron saved it again. The same happened with Alicia's shot, and another one of Angelina's. The chasers were exchanging looks with each other that clearly said 'he's a good keeper.'  
  
Harry hadn't noticed. After he had solved the keeper problem, he went back to looking for the snitch. After a few minutes of searching and not paying attention to anything else, he saw it hovering five foot off the ground directly in front of Hermione. He dived and caught it deftly. Hermione didn't even glance at him.  
  
He looked up to see what was so interesting. Katie was just getting ready to take her second shot. As she threw the quaffle toward the right- hand goal post, a bludger came out of nowhere heading straight for Ron. He dodged it by swerving sideways, spinning as he did so. The quaffle rebounded off of the broom tail and was knocked off course.  
  
Katie, Angelina and Alicia broke into a small round of applause. Fred and George were flying around after the bludgers, grins on their faces. Ron looked very embarrassed. He tossed the quaffle to Alicia and looked down.  
  
Harry was staring at him from his place on the ground. "Wow, he's good!" He said to Hermione. She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh great." She said. "I'm going to be the only one not on the team now, aren't I?" Then she laughed.  
  
Harry smiled and kicked off again. He flew over to Ron, who was saving another attempt on goal by Alicia. "Hey Ron." He called out as he got closer. Ron looked up. "You're really good." He said, causing Ron's ears to go red.  
  
"Er, thanks." He said looking down again.  
  
"Why didn't you put your name down for try-outs?" He asked curiously. Ron looked even more embarrassed as he shrugged. "I didn't even think about it."  
  
Harry looked surprised, and so did the three chasers. "You should." Said Katie fervently.  
  
"Yeah, you haven't missed a single one." Said Angelina.  
  
Harry flew closer to Ron. "I'm putting your name down, OK?" He said. Ron looked up at him in a panic. "But…" Harry held up his hand and cut him off. "It was a rhetorical question. " He said, as Ron's ears became even redder.  
  
  
  
Down in the stands, Daphne and Lori climbed down from their top row seats, and sat down next to Hermione.  
  
"Ron's good, isn't he?" Lori said. Hermione looked at her.  
  
"Yeah. I've never really seen him play before." She answered. "We need a good keeper. Do you know that the Slytherin team all have Nimbus two thousand and ones?"  
  
Lori looked down at the floor, embarrassed. Hermione slapped her hand to her head, giving herself a mental kick in the head. It had been Lori's dad who had bought the brooms. "I'm sorry Lori." She said quickly.  
  
Lori looked up and smiled sadly. "It's alright. I thought it was a bit out of order when father bought those. It was a waste of money. But Draco always gets whatever he wants…" Lori seemed to think she had said too much, and looked down at the floor again.  
  
"Do you like quidditch, Lori?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject. Lori smiled gratefully at her. "Yeah, I really like quidditch. I love flying as well, but I don't get much of a chance to practise." She answered. Hermione shrugged and looked up at Harry, who had just gone into a spectacular, almost vertical dive to catch the snitch.  
  
A few minutes later, she turned back to Lori with a frown. "Why didn't you go to the World cup? I saw your family there." She asked curiously  
  
Lori squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and looked embarrassed again. "I, I didn't want to go." She said quickly, speaking to her shoes. Hermione looked away. She could tell that Lori was lying, but decided not to push the obviously very delicate subject.  
  
Daphne leaned forward. "You went to the quidditch World cup?" She asked Hermione. "What happened?" Hermione sat back in her seat.  
  
"It was really fun." She said with a smile. "Well, most of it." She added, remembering the Dark Mark fiasco. "It was the final, Ireland versus Bulgaria. The Ireland chasers were superb, they scored, what was it? Um, I think it was about a hundred and seventy points. They worked so well together. Ireland definitely deserved to win."  
  
"Did they?" Asked Daphne.  
  
"Yeah." Said Hermione. "But Bulgaria were only tem points behind in the end."  
  
"That's only because Viktor Krum got the snitch- they would only have had ten points if he didn't." Said Lori, who had obviously read about the final, even if she 'hadn't wanted' to see it. Hermione nodded. Daphne looked plain confused.  
  
"Viktor Krum?" She asked incredulously. "He plays for- he caught the snitch in the World cup final?" Hermione nodded again and Daphne's eyes widened. "Well, he's slightly more interesting than I thought he was." She said under her breath. Unfortunately for Daphne, Hermione heard her.  
  
"Daphne, you don't even know him! So just shut up!" Hermione cried. Daphne was shocked; Hermione had never told her to shut up before. Hermione sighed. "I'm not going to apologise for that Daphne, because I am getting very annoyed about people bad mouthing him." Hermione stood up as the Gryffindor team sailed softly onto the grass.  
  
"At last! I'm starved, and breakfast's is almost over!" She yelled to them, walking onto the pitch. Ron looked at his watch. "She's right- let's go!" He banished his broom back to the shed and started to walk back up to the school. Hermione fell into step with him and Harry. "Well done Ron- you didn't tell us you were such a good keeper." She said.  
  
"That's because I'm not." Ron replied, in a tone that clearly said: 'don't go on about it.' Hermione raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Ron started walking faster.  
  
"Are you making him try-out?" Hermione asked Harry in an undertone. Harry grinned. "Of course I am. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"  
  
  
  
  
  
OK OK, I know this is, like, the longest chapter in history- I'm sorry. Please r/r. 


	9. Tryouts

This chapter should be shorter than the last- I hope!  
  
1 Try-outs  
  
  
  
"So how does this work then?" Hermione asked Harry as they walked through the grounds towards the quidditch pitch. It was Monday evening, and keeper trials were about to start.  
  
"Well, each of the candidates does some tests. So that means the chasers will shoot from all different places and we'll observe." Answered Harry. "At the end, the team and McGonagall will all get together and we'll choose the best one."  
  
"Why Professor McGonagall?" Asked Hermione.  
  
"Because she's head of Gryffindor house. That makes her like the manager of the team." Harry said, shrugging.  
  
"How come you didn't have to try-out?" Asked Ron, who was walking just behind them.  
  
"I asked about that actually." Said Harry. "McGonagall told me that if they see someone who's the best one they've seen, even without a try-out, they can be on the team, if they have her permission. After seeing you on Saturday, Ron, I would have just put you on the team without a trial, but the try-outs were already scheduled, so it wouldn't be fair." Harry grinned at his best- friend, who looked extremely uneasy. He had told them the day before that he hadn't put his name down in the first place because he didn't do well under pressure. He did actually looked quite ill.  
  
When they reached the pitch, they found that the team were already there, Fred and George sitting in the stands cracking jokes, and the three chasers soaring around in the air. A group of nervous looking Gryffindors clutching broomsticks stood to one side of the pitch, and they all stopped talking when they saw Harry come into the stadium. He and Hermione went to join Fred and George, while Ron perched himself on the rail surrounding the pitch.  
  
Harry stood up and held a roll of parchment in front of him. "Right." He said, as Angelina, Alicia and Katie came down to hover a few feet from the ground, listening. "I'm gonna call a register, just to make sure that everyone who put there name down is here." He cleared his throat. "Colin Creevey, Seamus Finnegan, Tessa Roberts, Joanne Strepfield, Fred Barry, and Ron Weasley." Everyone answered "here!" when their name was called; all except Ron, who rolled his eyes and looked away.  
  
At that moment, Professor McGonagall arrived, carrying a large notebook. "Everyone here Potter? Good, let's get on with it then." She sat down next to Harry, behind Fred and George, who stopped cracking jokes and turned to look with interest at the candidates, all of whom looked extremely excited. All except Ron, that is, who just looked annoyed at having to be there.  
  
They were going in register order, so Fred Barry was first. As he flew up into the air, Fred Weasley turned to Harry. "I think we should pick him. I mean, he's got such a great name…" He said with a grin. Professor McGonagall frowned. "Be quiet Weasley. You should be paying attention." She snapped. Fred shrugged and turned around. By the end of Fred Barry's turn though, the Fred Weasley had changed his mind. Barry wasn't keeper material- he kept batting the quaffle, which would usually go straight through the hoop. Harry noted that he would make a good beater, though, and he said so.  
  
Next was Colin Creevey. Harry was surprised at how good Colin was, he was a muggle-born and Harry had never seen him fly before. Out of the ten shots the chasers threw at him, Colin caught seven and narrowly missed the other three. When he landed, and Harry shouted out "Well done Colin!" Colin flushed a deep red and looked very pleased with himself. He had always idolised Harry.  
  
Next up was Seamus Finnegan. He flashed Harry a grin before he started. Harry tried to keep a straight face throughout Seamus' turn. He knew full well that the only reason Seamus was there was because Dean had dared him to go along and make a fool of himself. And he did it superbly. Seamus didn't catch one quaffle, even when Angelina threw one a foot away from him and it passed through his hands. When Seamus landed, he fell off his broom on purpose.  
  
By this time, Fred and George were in fits of laughter and Hermione was laughing quietly so Professor McGonagall wouldn't see her. Even Ron, who had been looking gloomy as hell, cracked a smile. Harry grinned and called up Tessa Roberts.  
  
Tessa Roberts was also very good. She and her friend Joanne Strepfield both caught seven quafles, the same as Colin, but Colin was still looking the best by far.  
  
When it came to Ron's turn, it looked as though he had fallen asleep. Harry, Fred and George had to yell his name together to get his attention. (He had been staring wistfully back up at the castle). He shot them an annoyed look and Harry gave him a sarcastic wave. He opened his mouth to say something, probably along the lines of "Do I have to?" but Harry silenced him with a glare and pointed at the goal hoops. Ron picked up his broom with a sulky look on his face and flew up into the air.  
  
"What's up with him?" It was Seamus, who had climbed up into the stands and sat down behind Harry without him noticing. Harry shook his head with a grin on his face. "He doesn't really want to try-out, to tell the truth." He said. Professor McGonagall turned to Harry with a confused look on her face. "Then why…?" she started to ask, before George answered her question.  
  
"Because he's actually really good. We should know, we've lived with him for fifteen years." He said with a grin.  
  
"Fifteen years!" Said Fred. "They grow up so quickly." He and George pretended to wipe their eyes.  
  
Harry and Seamus laughed, while Professor Mcgonagall gave the twins an exasperated look and turned to watch Ron, only to find he was already on something like the fifth shot. "We haven't been watching! Oh you two are…" she started to tell off Fred and George, but Hermione interrupted her.  
  
"Please Professor, I've been watching, and he hasn't missed any yet." She said to her favourite teacher, who smiled graciously. "Thank you Miss Granger, I'm glad someone was paying attention." She shot a nasty look at the twins and turned her attention back to Ron. George looked over his shoulder at Hermione and mouthed "teacher's pet " at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and then looked over Harry's shoulder to see what he was writing on the parchment. He wasn't writing anything, she found, he was playing noughts and crosses with himself. Shaking her head slightly, Hermione looked up just in time to see Ron make his tenth save. He looked incredibly bored.  
  
It was hardly surprising at the end of the try-outs when Ron was announced the new keeper for Gryffindor. The other candidates applauded him and Colin Creevey pulled out his camera to take a picture of his shocked, and still slightly annoyed face. Everyone started to drift off up to the castle and Harry and Hermione walked over to Ron, who was standing in the middle of the field waiting for them, his arms crossed and looking as though he was going to explode.  
  
"I can't do it! I can not be keeper!" He hissed as they approached. He looked very put down. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Stop being so noble. You were the best out there and you know it." She said defiantly. Ron looked at her in surprise when he heard her cold tone of voice. "Sorry." He said sarcastically.  
  
Harry pulled out a set of blood red Quidditch robes from a bag he was holding and chucked them at Ron. "Congratulations." He said with a grin, before starting to make his way back up to school. 


	10. Slytherin v Gryffindor

Chapter ten is here- wow, I'm into double figures! I've got a feeling that this story will be quite long, but please bear with me. In this chapter I will attempt to commentate a quidditch match. Stress the word attempt. Please don't laugh too hard, no one can do it like J.K.  
  
Disclaimer- Unfortunately I don't own Harry Potter.  
  
1 Slytherin v Gryffindor  
  
Harry woke up on the day of the quidditch match at five thirty in the morning. Now that he was awake, he knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep again. Today was his first match as captain- what if they lost? Everyone would just think he wasn't good enough, would they kick him out? Who would be captain instead?  
  
The thoughts kept chasing each other around in his head for he didn't know how long, but he only knew that some time later, he heard a voice say "Harry, you awake?"  
  
Harry sat up and pulled open the hangings to find Ron sitting up on his own bed and looking as though he was going to be sick. Harry felt like kicking himself. Here he was, worrying about himself and forgetting that it was Ron's first ever match. Some friend he was.  
  
"Morning Ron" He said as calmly as he could.  
  
"I think I'm gonna be…" Began Ron, but Harry cut him off. "I know." He said. "but don't worry, you'll be fine. Just imagine the look on Malfoy's face when we beat them." That seemed to cheer Ron up a little, because he got out of bed and started to pull on his robes. Harry did the same and they walked down the stairs together, discussing last minute strategies. They walked into the common room to find Hermione and Lori already up, bent over Lori's charms homework.  
  
"No fair. You never help us." Said Harry, as they wandered over to where they were sitting.  
  
Hermione sat back in her chair and smiled. "Well, I'm always my most vulnerable in the early morning, so that's the only time I let my guard down long enough to agree to help." She said with a grin.  
  
"Forget it then. There's no way I'm getting up this early on a non-match day, even if you would help me with my potions project." Ron said, with a loud yawn. Harry nodded in agreement.  
  
"Yeah well, the early bird catches Hermione's help." Said Lori. Hermione laughed and started to pull her bushy hair up into a ponytail, with the help of the ever-present-now tidying charm. The boys sat there for a few silent minutes, watching Hermione watching Lori answer some questions, but just found their nerves were mounting up again. Finally they couldn't take it anymore, and went down to get some breakfast.  
  
It wasn't long before the rest of the team came down to join them, and they all escaped from the hall before any other people could come down. They got down to the field at about nine, o, clock, an hour before the match was due to start. They sat in the changing rooms, listening to Fred and George's descriptions of their new merchandise, which included a lollipop that made your hair fall out until you finished it, and a watch that kept speeding up, making you think you were late for everything. They were also working on a way to split people apart, into their alter egos, temporarily of course.  
  
At five to ten, they could hear the roar of the crowd outside and knew it was time to go. Ron looked very pale underneath his freckles as they walked out onto the pitch to very loud applause. "How do you do this?" He said faintly to Harry, as he stepped forward to shake the hand of the Slytherin Captain, Simon Greeson. (A/N- I'm not sure who the captain is so I made him up.)  
  
Before Ron knew what was happening, they were in the air and he had somehow flown over to the goalposts he was defending. He heard the whistle as though from far away, and the match began.  
  
Ron didn't seem to wake up until he made his first save, a dive to stop a furious throw from Greeson. He threw the ball to Alicia and watched her pass it to Angelina, to Katie, back to Angelina, George hit the Bludger at the Slytherin keeper, who was forced to spin to avoid it, and GRYFFINDOR SCORE!!!  
  
Ron heard Lee Jordan's voice and felt calm for the first time that morning. They were winning, and it was his job to keep it that way, Ron thought as he pulled off spectacular save to block a volley from Higgs.  
  
Nine attempts on goal later, Ron failed to save and Slytherin cheers echoed around the stadium. Ron was furious with himself as he threw the quaffle to Katie. It must have shown on his face because as Fred raced past him he yelled "Cheer up bruv!" Ron shook his head, hard, and put his mind back on the game.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, during which Alicia, Angelina and Katie scored thirteen more goals in lightning speed, Harry, who was hovering near the middle of the pitch, went into an incredible dive, and every Gryffindor in the stadium jumped to their feet, straining to see where the snitch was. Draco saw the dive and was hard at his heels in a nanosecond. The people in the stadium, the players included, watched with bated breath as, at the last second, Harry pulled out of the dive and headed off in the opposite direction, leaving Draco to hit the ground and slide off his broom. The cheers and laughter from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws in the crowd was deafening, and the entire Gryffindor team had to hold onto their brooms to stop from falling off.  
  
Madam Hooch's whistle blew as Madam Pomfrey hurried over to Draco to see if he was all right. He seemed to be fine, however, as he jumped onto his broom and soared back into the air, causing the Slytherins to cheer for their seeker.  
  
Madam Hooch blew her whistle again to resume play, and immediately Harry zoomed across the pitch toward Ron, dived and, before anyone knew what was happening, rose into the air, holding the snitch high above his head.  
  
Ron had cheered for Harry before, he'd been one of the people in the crowd, calling out abuse to the other team and yelling when Harry caught the snitch, but it was entirely different hearing it from a player's perspective. It was deafening. Gryffindor had won 360-10, so you could well and truly say that Gryffindor had creamed them, and by the sounds of it, the other three houses were happy about it.  
  
Fred and George zoomed towards Harry, still crying with laughter at the spectacular Wronski Feint. It had been the first ever time Harry had tried it in a match, and it had worked perfectly.  
  
Ron started to head over to them, but was slightly delayed by Alicia, Katie and Angelina who came racing over to hug him. "You were brilliant!" "That was amazing!" "Oliver eat your heart out!" Ron knew that his ears were so red they were about to sizzle. Harry, Fred and George flew over with big grins on their faces. The Gryffindor team sank slowly onto the ground, laughing at the Wronski feint and the fact they had won by 350 points.  
  
They landed haphazardly on the pitch, where many of the jubilant Gryffindors had already gathered, yelling "GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR! GRYFFINDOR!", and patting the team on their backs. Harry and Ron looked up to see Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team land with bitter looks on their faces, none so bad as Malfoy, who looked fit to kill the first person that offered him condolences. His eyes locked with Harry's and he gave him a look that said very clearly "You are dead."  
  
Malfoy started to walk towards Harry and Ron, but was distracted by some shouting from the stands. "LOSER! HA!" Malfoy, Harry and Ron looked up to see Daphne in the upper tier of the seating, leaning on the safety rail and pointing down at Draco Malfoy.  
  
Ron and Harry were shocked. Daphne always seemed too much like Hermione to even think about doing something like that. But what they saw next almost made the two of them faint. Hermione was next to Daphne and she started yelling as well.  
  
"LLLLOOOOOSSSSSSEEEEERRRRRR!" All the muggle-borns who had ever seen the Ace Ventura films fell about laughing, and some of them joined in the shouting. Draco Malfoy stared up at the Grangers, who were holding onto each other from laughing so much, with a reddish tinge appearing on his cheeks. Then he saw what was next to them and his face contorted with fury. Lori was sitting on a chair next to Hermione, and she was laughing almost as hard as Daphne and Hermione. She wiped the tears from her eyes and glanced down at the pitch.  
  
Lori saw the look on her brother's face and her insides turned immediately to ice. She stopped laughing at once and looked at the floor. Harry and Ron noticed this and stopped laughing as well. Shaking their heads, they started to walk back up to the school.  
  
Hermione and Daphne were still laughing. 


	11. Dear Hermowninny

Sorry this took so long- I've been really busy! (You can probably tell that but the fact that I've got two more stories up now). And then there's homework, coursework, blah, blah, blah...  
  
Disclaimer- Everything you recognise from the Harry Potter books is from the Harry Potter books- (You see the connection there?)  
  
Dear Hermowninny...  
  
Harry and Ron made it up to the common room quite fast, given the fact that Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all trying to get close to them to offer congratulations. But they were eager to get up to Gryffindor Tower- they wanted to get the party started and, obviously, gape at Hermione in disbelief.  
  
When they entered the common room, the Gryffindors who had arrived before them burst into applause and started cheering. Harry and Ron grinned and went straight up to their dormitory to get out of their muddy Quidditch robes. When they got back down to the common room, it was packed by celebrating Gryffindors. They all cheered again when Harry and Ron entered, and Angelina threw them a butterbeer each. Harry's slipped through his fingers as he went to catch it, but Ron managed to save it before it fell onto the floor.  
  
Fred grinned wickedly and said; "You see Harry, that's why he's the keeper and you're not." The Gryffindors started laughing and even Harry joined in. Ron's ears went red but he grinned too.  
  
Just then, the portrait door opened and Hermione, Daphne and Lori climbed through, all looking a bit flushed. A few people who had witnessed what had happened at the match started applauding them too, but Hermione just smiled slightly and made a beeline straight for Ron and Harry. They watched her approach. She looked a bit worried.  
  
"Hey Herm! That was so funny at the end- the look on Malfoy's face!" It was George. He, Fred, and the rest of the Gryfindor team were seated in front of the fire, all with big grins on their faces. Hermione smiled slightly. "Er, thanks Fre-, er, George." She said, tucking a stray bit of hair behind her ear. That was when Harry and Ron knew something was up. Hermione was better than Ron at telling the twins apart; she made it a big thing to always get it right.  
  
Harry nodded over to a spare table in a corner, set apart from the main party. They walked over and sat down. "What's wrong?" Said Ron straight away. Hermione shrugged. "We'll, maybe it's nothing, but I thought I'd better tell you both that Malfoy is planning to kill me." She said casually.  
  
Harry chuckled, but Ron leaned forward. "What's wrong with your arm?" He asked suddenly. Hermione had been unconsciously clutching at her left arm. She withdrew her hand quickly and said, very unconvincingly, "nothing."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Have we ever told you how bad you are at lying?" He said with a grin. Hermione sighed. "Alright, alright." She launched into her story.  
  
"We left the pitch pretty late because everyone was standing around talking. We were just going up the marble staircase when Malfoy came up behind us. I heard him coming though. So I turned around and asked him what he wanted. He gave me this really nasty look and told me it was none of my business. Then he gave Lori the evil eye and said he wanted to talk to her. God, he sounded so nasty. So I stood in front of her and told him that as a prefect it was my duty to accompany them back to Gryfindor Tower. So he told me to stay out of his way and leave his sister alone, and that as it was the middle of the day she could go wherever she liked. Which is technically true, of course, but I told him it was Gryffindor tradition to hold a party after a victory, something he probably didn't know about as Slytherin house didn't get much chance to celebrate a win."  
  
At this point Hermione stopped as Harry and Ron had started laughing. The image of Hermione telling this to Draco Malfoy was just too much. Remembering the look on his face, Hermione allowed herself a grin as well. When the boys had recovered from their laughing fit, Hermione continued:  
  
"So anyway, he pulled out his wand on me and said that I'd better watch it, because a filthy little mudblood such as myself wouldn't stand a chance against him." This statement wiped the grins off of Harry and Ron's faces very effectively. Both gritted their teeth and clenched their fists. Hermione ignored them and carried on:  
  
"So I pulled out my wand and asked him if he'd like to test that theory, without chickening out at the last minute and not showing up at the trophy room." Ron and Harry grinned again; that incident had happened way back in the first year, back when Hermione wasn't even their friend. "So then he went mad and tried to put that big teeth charm on me again, for old time's sake I presume, but I dodged it and the sparks got my arm. So I quickly put a jelly-legs charm on him and we all ran. He knew the counter-curse though, so he was after us pretty quickly. The bad thing is, he followed us almost all the way to Gryffindor Tower, so now he knows where it is, and, he might have even been close enough to hear the password. I just don't know." Hermione frowned and rubbed her temples. As she lifted her arm, her sleeve fell to reveal a small, but nasty- looking burn just above her wrist. She glanced at it and sighed again.  
  
"Guess I'll have to go and see Madam Pomfrey." She said, standing up reluctantly.  
  
Ron and Harry stood up as well to go with her, but she told them not to. "This party is for you, do you realise that? You can't just leave your own party. Oh, by the way, well done, both of you, you were really good." She gave them a big smile and left. Harry and Ron glanced at each other, and stood up at the same time.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione climbed out of the portrait hole rather awkwardly- her arm was hurting her more than she had let on to Harry and Ron. This was mainly because she knew what they would do, and she wasn't in the mood today for a fight. She didn't know what had got into her at that Quidditch match, why on earth had she shouted like that? Maybe it was something she ate. She'd been feeling funny since breakfast.  
  
Hermione closed her eyes in horror. At breakfast that morning, Lee Jordan had offered her a roll that he had said he didn't want. She had, stupidly, taken it. Hermione had always vowed that Fred and George Weasley would never trick her, but it seemed they had- they had obviously put something in the roll and given it to Lee Jordan to trick her with. She was going to kill them...  
  
Hermione suddenly felt someone grab her from behind. She barely had time to register what was happening when suddenly she found Draco Malfoy had her in a headlock, and was holding his wand up against her neck. She could hardly breath, but the more she struggled, the tighter the headlock became. Her eyes started to water and he started laughing.  
  
"Well, will you look at this? The little mudblood who I thought could beat me. Well, that's what she said anyway. What's the matter Granger? No witty comebacks? Oh what a shame." He laughed again. Hermione looked at him fearfully as she struggled to breath. But there was something else in her eyes- hatred. Draco shook his head slowly.  
  
"Never try to make a fool out of me you mudblood. Draco Malfoy always- Ahhh!" Hermione fell to the floor in surprise as she was released from the headlock. She coughed and spluttered, taking in big gulps of air. Her neck was very sore. She rubbed it and looked up.  
  
Malfoy was rolling around on the floor, clutching the side of his face, where a livid bruise was already forming. Standing over him was Ron, rubbing his fist and looking down at Draco with pure fury all over his face. Harry was standing next to Ron, wearing an equally angry expression and pointing his wand steadily at Malfoy. He held out his spare hand to Hermione, and she took it gratefully, pulling herself up. She looked down at Malfoy.  
  
He looked absolutely pitiful, and she did almost feel sorry for him. Almost. His cheek was a nasty shade of purple where Ron had punched him, and it looked as though he had broken his jaw. Malfoy looked up at the three of them with hatred in his eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione just looked at him as he got up awkwardly and, with a last glance in their direction, walked away. Hermione looked over at her friends, and found that Harry was holding tightly onto the back of Ron's robes to stop him going after Malfoy.  
  
She cleared her throat and they looked at her. "Thanks" She mumbled. Harry let go of Ron's robes. Hemione looked down the corridor that Draco had disappeared down. "Did you have to break his jaw though?" She said to Ron. Ron stared at her in disbelief. "He was trying to strangle you." He said angrily.  
  
Hermione grinned. "I know," she said. "But couldn't you have broken his leg?"  
  
Harry started laughing, and soon Ron joined in. The three of them made their way to the Hospital Wing. "Why are you two out of the Common Room?" Hermione asked curiously, even though she thought she knew what the answer was.  
  
Ron gave her a sceptical look. "You had just told us Malfoy wanted to kill you, and then you expect us to let you wander the corridors alone?" He said. Hermione sighed heavily. "Good thing you two know exactly when Malfoy's gonna attack then." She said with a smile. They had reached the Hospital Wing.  
  
"You can go back now." Hermione said to them as she pushed open the door. Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Not a chance." Harry said and they followed her inside.  
  
Madam Pomfrey was her usual irritable self, and seemed very surprised that the three of them were there because Hermione was hurt, and not Harry. She made Hermione sit down on a bed and bustled off to find the cure for burns.  
  
Ron and Harry sat down next to her bed. Harry frowned. "Hermione, why were you yelling like that at the match? We almost fainted." He said, folding his arms. Hermione rolled her eyes.  
  
"I think Fred and George put something in my breakfast. I've been feeling really funny since then." She answered. Ron and Harry looked surprised. "They actually got you?" Ron said in disbelief.  
  
Hermione nodded glumly. "And before you ask, they didn't do anything to Daphne. She's just like that naturally." Harry and Ron started laughing. Hermione joined in. Madam Pomfrey came in and gave them disapproving looks. They stopped laughing as Madam Pomfrey applied a thick, gooey, orange paste to her burn. Harry recognised it from the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament, when Cedric Diggory had got burnt. After she had finished, Madam Pomfrey bustled away into her office.  
  
The door of the hospital wing opened and Professor Lupin walked in, followed by `Snuffles'. He spotted them and a look of surprise appeared on his face.  
  
"What are you... Hermione! What happened to you?" He asked, concerned. He and Snuffles walked over and stood by her bed. "I..." Hermione began, but she was cut off by a harsh voice behind her.  
  
"Get that dog out of here Professor." The four of them, (five if you included the canine) looked up to see Madam Pomfrey looking at Lupin furiously. She hated having animals in the Hospital Wing. Snuffles whined pathetically and walked slowly out of the Wing, his tail between his legs. Hermione, Harry and Ron had to work hard not to laugh.  
  
Professor Lupin turned back to Hermione as Madam Pomfrey turned to go into her office again. "I got burnt." Hermione finished with a smile. Lupin raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I meant, what happened to your neck?" He said. Hermione looked across the room to where a mirror hung on the wall and paled. Her neck was bright red and looked very sore. She swallowed painfully and looked at Harry and Ron for support.  
  
"Malfoy tried to strangle her." Harry said casually. Hermione looked at Lupin quickly, expecting him to act all teachery. But he didn't.  
  
"How'd you get out of that one?" He asked with interest. Hermione looked surprised. "Um, Harry and Ron came along and found me." She said. Lupin grinned. "I'm surprised Malfoy isn't in here as well then." He said with a wink at Harry and Ron.  
  
Harry grinned. "Oh, I think he will be soon. Ron broke his jaw." Lupin started laughing. "I'm suddenly getting a feeling of déjà vu. Back in our third year here, one of Snape's friends, Jefferson, he was beating up Peter. Now, Peter was about four feet tall and Jefferson was about six. He didn't stand a chance. But me and Sirius found them and Sirius broke Jefferson's jaw. He got a month's worth of detentions, but it was worth it just to see the look on his face whenever Sirius clenched his fist."  
  
Ron and Harry started to laugh loudly, but stopped abruptly when the door opened and Draco Malfoy came in with a dark look on his face, his cheek very puffed up and swollen, and a nasty shade of purple. Crabbe and Goyle were just behind him. Draco looked over at them with narrowed eyes. Harry gave them a sarcastic wave.  
  
Madam Pomfrey came in just then and gave a cry of horror when she saw Draco. She ushered him over to a bed in the corner and told him to sit completely still. Then she came over to Hermione. Madam Pomfrey removed the orange paste to reveal Hermione's burn-free, mended skin.  
  
Hermione, Harry and Ron stood up to leave as Madam Pomfrey bustled over to Malfoy again. Lupin had come to get a headache cure from Madam Pomfrey, so he said that he would see them later. The three of them went out of the door, careful to look anywhere but at Malfoy, who looked simply murderous.  
  
Outside the door they almost fell over Sirius, who was in his human form and sitting on the floor, stretching his legs.  
  
"Sirius? What are you doing? If someone sees..." Harry began frantically, but Sirius waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine. Jeez, you sound like your mother did whenever we transformed in a public place." Harry smiled and Sirius grinned. "I saw that beauty on Malfoy. Who's handiwork was that?"  
  
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "It was Ron." She said disapprovingly. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her. Draco had just tried to strangle her, and she was acting as if breaking his jaw was wrong. Where was her pride?  
  
There were footsteps below them and the sound of chattering students. Sirius disappeared and was replaced by Snuffles just as a group of First-year Hufflepuffs came around the corner. They stopped dead when they saw Harry and Ron and started whispering. Harry caught the words `Quidditch' `Wronski Feint' and `good keeper'. Harry glanced at Ron and saw that he looked deadly embarrassed. He had to have time to get used to his status as Gryffindor Keeper. Harry grinned and started to walk up to Gryffindor tower. Hermione and Ron followed him.  
  
They had reached the corridor that the Fat Lady's portrait hung on when the owl came. It was a grey eagle owl, with flashing black eyes and a sharp looking beak. It flew through the open window and dropped a letter at Hermione's face before landing on a side table and straightening his feathers.  
  
Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron, and bent to pick up the letter. She put it in her robe pocket. "Aren't you going to read it?" Asked Ron with a frown. Hermione shrugged. Later, and when I've got some privacy." She answered. Ron chuckled. "If you think you're gonna get any chance to read that letter in the common room, then you're mad. Besides, it looks like Vicky, sorry, Viktor wants an answer." He nodded towards the owl, which was watching Hermione beadily.  
  
Hermione sighed heavily. "Alright. Fine. I'll read my letter, but you two can go and join the party." Ron opened his mouth, presumably to protest, but Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him through the portrait hole. A loud cheer greeted them.  
  
Celebrating Gryffindors, thrusting butterbeers and sweets into their hands, very quickly surrounded Ron and Harry. They sat down by the fire with the rest of the team and joined in the conversation.  
  
A few minutes later the portrait opened and Hermione pulled herself through. She spotted them through the crowd and waved. Then, choosing to stay out of the fun as usual, she sat down in the corner with Daphne, Lori and some of their friends. Ron and Harry extracted themselves from the crowd and made their way over to her.  
  
"So what did Viktor say?" Asked Ron as soon as they were within earshot. Hermione frowned. "Not that it's any of your business, but he said that he misses me so much that he's transferring to Hogwarts as soon as possible." She replied calmly.  
  
Ron looked as though she had slapped him. "He, but, you're not, are you kidding?" He stammered. Hermione grinned, and then started laughing. Harry joined in. Ron looked furious. "You're so gullible." Hermione gasped, with tears forming in her eyes. Ron gave her a withering glance and looked away.  
  
"Anyway." Hermione said a while later, once she had stopped laughing. "Viktor invited me to Bulgaria for Christmas, but I said no."  
  
"Why?" Ron said curiously, although he looked a bit suspicious. Hermione smiled thoughtfully. "I already have plans. I'm going home this Christmas." She said, sitting back in her chair.  
  
Ron and Harry looked at Hermione in surprise. None of them had gone home for Christmas since the first year. They always stayed at school.  
  
Hemione took a deep breath. "Well, Daphne's parents are going away this Christmas on a second honeymoon, so my mum said she could stay with us, and that I'd be there too. Of course she didn't know that Daphne was going to Hogwarts, and we could stay here, but I think my parents do want me at home for once." She shrugged.  
  
Ron looked a bit dubious. "Are you sure it's safe though? I mean, leaving Hogwarts and stuff?" He asked. Hermione sighed. "Yeah, I'm sure it's fine. And anyway, I'll have you and Harry there to break jaws for me anyway, won't I?" Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with bemused expressions. She rolled her eyes. "Do. You. Two. Want. To. Come. And. Stay. At. My. House. This. Christmas?" She said slowly and clearly.  
  
"You want us to come? Um, well sure. I'd like to." Said Ron with a grin. He looked at Harry, but was surprised to see his friend looked very downhearted. He realised what was going on in his head and quickly added; "But only if Harry is allowed to come." Hermione nodded. She turned to Daphne.  
  
"Daph? Harry and Ron might be coming too this Christmas." She said. Daphne smiled happily. "Good! The more the merrier!" she said. Hermione looked at Lori with a smile. "Do you want to come to my house this Christmas? You're very welcome as well." She said.  
  
Daphne looked at Lori eagerly, but her friend looked very uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Hermione. I, I can't. I have to, to go home this Christmas. Father said so." Lori swallowed hard and looked away. But Hermione saw the fear in her eyes. She sighed and looked at Daphne with a small smile. Daphne looked very disappointed that Lori couldn't come but knew better than to say anything. Lori was very guarded about her family life.  
  
At that moment, Ginny Weasley came bounding over with a piece of parchment and a quill in her hands. She stopped in front of Ron and bowed with a giggle. "All hail the Keeper. Can I have the first autograph?" She held out the parchment, but Ron gave her such a furious look that she just shrugged and dropped her hands with a grin. Hermione laughed.  
  
"Would you like to come up my house this Christmas Ginny? It'll be fun." She asked. Ginny spun round to face Hermione with a beaming smile on her face. "Really? Your house? I'd love... Oh. I can't. Sorry Hermione, but Lisa has to stay at school this Christmas and I promised her that I`d stay too." Ginny looked very disappointed, but soon produced her smile again. "Oh well. Maybe in the summer. See ya!" she winked at Hermione. As she went past Ron she ruffled his hair playfully, but he pointedly ignored her. "Sisters." He muttered under his breath.  
  
Wow that was long. Oh well, if you haven't fallen asleep, please review!  
  
Thanks to all my reviewers so far, maddy, tabi, Fehrlyevil The Unstoppable Demonic Queen of The Underground Region of In-Duh-Viduality, (great name!) moodyirishbabe, Kstarr74, Angie, fang, Tracy, RiddleStar and Jivanna. Love ya all! 


	12. Permission

Disclaimer- All Harry Potter type things belong to J.K Rowling.  
  
Permission  
  
"Please complete this work for Monday. Class dismissed." Professor McGonagall shuffled her papers and placed them neatly in her desk drawer. Harry glanced at Ron, who gave him an encouraging nod before following Hermione out of the classroom. He approached the teacher's desk.  
  
"Can I help you with something Mr. Potter?" Asked McGonagall calmly without looking up at him. Harry took a deep breath. "Um, Professor, I need to see Professor Dumbledore." He said quickly. Professor McGonagall looked at him sharply.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked worriedly. Harry shook his head. "No, but I…I need to ask him something, that's all." He said quietly. Harry watched anxiously as Professor McGonagall looked out of the window, down towards the lake. She seemed to be thinking. Finally, she sighed and turned back to him. "Alright Mr. Potter." She said, picking up her books. "I will take you to him now."  
  
Harry didn't say anything as they walked towards the stone gargoyle that guarded the secret passageway leading to Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall gave the password, (Fizzing Whizzbees), and turned to Harry as the gargoyle sprang to one side and the magical staircase appeared.  
  
"I'll leave you here Mr. Potter, I need to prepare for my class after lunch." She said briskly. Harry nodded. "Thank you Professor." He said. With a brief nod, Professor McGonagall turned and walked off in the direction of the staff room.  
  
Harry stepped onto the staircase, which moved smoothly upward, carrying him up to the polished oak doors with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffon. Harry took a deep breath at the top and hesitated before knocking. Now he was here, Harry felt incredibly stupid and a bit annoyed at having to ask permission to go to his friend's house. And deep down, Harry knew he wouldn't be allowed, and he knew that he'd be really bitter. And then Ron would stay to keep him company, and he'd be bitter too. Harry shook his head to clear it of all these thoughts and knocked determinedly on the door.  
  
The door opened magically by itself, and Harry took a tentative step inside. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk as usual, but there were also a lot of other people in the room. Remus, Sirius and Professor Snape stood by the fire, all of them looking very tired. Apart from them there was also Mr. Ollivander, Alastor Moody, and another man Harry didn't recognise sitting in front of the desk.  
  
"Harry, are you alright?" Harry whipped around to see Arthur Weasley standing in the corner, where he seemed to have been stroking Dumbledore's pet phoenix, Fawkes. Harry opened his mouth to answer, but was distracted by the old woman sitting in a chair near the door. Harry's mouth fell open in shock.  
  
"Mrs. Figg?" He gasped. Harry couldn't believe it. Mrs. Figg was at Hogwarts, and if she was at Hogwarts that meant that she was a Witch. Harry shook his head in disbelief. All those times he had gone to her house… she was a really good actress.  
  
Mrs. Figg smiled at him. "Hello Harry, how are you?" She said pleasantly. "Um…I'm fine." He managed. "Harry?" Harry spun around to face Dumbledore. He looked very tired and worried. "Did you want to talk to me about something?" He asked.  
  
"Are you alright?" Sirius repeated Mr. Weasley's question anxiously. Harry sighed. "I'm fine. Really. I just…" Harry stopped. All these people were going to think he was a right idiot. Harry gritted his teeth and forced himself to talk.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore, um…I need to ask you something." He said. Dumbledore sat back in his chair and smiled. "Go ahead." He said kindly. Harry hesitated for only a second this time. After all, he was a Gryffindor, and he knew most of these people anyway. They wouldn't laugh at him.  
  
"Well," he said. "I know you don't really want me going anywhere, but Hermione's invited us all to her house this Christmas, and I was wondering if I could…"  
  
"Absolutely not." Said a voice from near the fireplace. Harry looked over at Sirius, who was standing with his arms folded and a dark look on his face. Harry was more than a little shocked to say the least. He knew that Sirius worried about him a lot, but Harry had never thought he would just blatantly refuse him without even listening to his reasoning first. And Harry hadn't even been asking him anyway.  
  
Remus eyed Sirius patiently. "Sirius…" He began, but Sirius cut him off. "No. It's too dangerous. He should stay here where it's safe."  
  
"Harry's not some kind of pet you can just lock up in a cage. He should be allowed to go to Hermione's house." Remus said.  
  
Sirius turned to Remus, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Do you honestly think that I regard Harry like that? Don't be stupid! And anyway, who was asking you Moony?" He said darkly. Remus frowned and also folded his arms. "Well, who was asking you? I was under the impression that Harry was talking to Dumbledore." He replied.  
  
Sirius looked furious, and Remus looked equally angry. Harry was surprised at the looks on their faces. Remus and Sirius were supposed to be good friends, but they were looking at each other as though they were bitter enemies.  
  
"Don't worry about those two Potter- the pressure of living together is getting too much." A voice growled quietly. Harry looked over at the owner of the voice. It was Alastor Moody, whom Harry had never heard speak before. Not the real one anyway. Moody was regarding Harry with interest with his biological eye, but his magical one was unceasingly swivelling around in his head, checking every corner and wall of the room for possible spies, -Harry assumed it was for spies anyway.  
  
Harry looked back over to his Godfather when he started speaking again. "I forbid it. And that's final." He said in a don't-even-try-to-argue-with- me tone of voice. But Harry wasn't standing for it. "Excuse me Sirius, but Professor Lupin is right. I wasn't asking you." He said angrily.  
  
Sirius' eyes flashed again and a look of fury passed over his face. He looked like he was about to explode, but instead he raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Fine." He spat. "What do you say Dumbledore? Is it safe for Harry Potter to go and stay in a Muggle household with no magical protection whatsoever, at a time when there are more than a few dangerous, powerful people around who would like nothing more than to see him dead?"  
  
Harry swallowed. 'Oh great. Just great. Now Sirius has just made it impossible for me to go. Thanks a lot.' He thought bitterly. He turned to look at Dumbledore, waiting for the solemn shake of the head and the heavy sigh that will tell him all he needed to know. But Dumbledore was looking quite cheerful. He smiled at Harry. "Harry, you must understand how dangerous it is for you at the moment, and I think that you should listen to your Godfather." He said, resting his head on his hands.  
  
Harry sighed heavily and chanced a glance at Sirius, who was looking very smug. Harry nodded and turned to walk out, but Dumbledore spoke again. "However," he said, his eyes twinkling as Harry turned around again. "I think that this time, you should go to Miss Granger's house." Harry would have grinned, but he was in shock. Had he heard right? Was Dumbledore really giving him permission to go to Hermione's house? To leave Hogwarts? There must have been some kind of mistake.  
  
Sirius seemed to think so anyway. "Headmaster!" He spluttered, sounding astounded. "You can't….I mean…"  
  
Dumbledore held up a hand to silence him. "Go Harry and have a nice time." He said, his eyes twinkling still. Harry glanced at Sirius again. His godfather looked outraged, and very confused. Harry knew that he'd be better off not saying anything, so he nodded and turned to walk out. But Sirius wasn't finished.  
  
"Headmaster, surely you know how dangerous…" He started determinedly, but Dumbledore cut him off again, this time sounding a bit impatient. "Nowhere is safe Sirius. Especially now. Harry is going to Miss Granger's house with his friends, and I don't want to hear another word about it. Understood?"  
  
Harry looked at Dumbledore in surprise. He had never heard him lose his temper like that. He glanced at the other people in the room, all of whom seemed to be finding the floor very interesting at that moment in time. Harry swallowed and walked back out of the door.  
  
~*~  
  
"Well? What did he say?" Ron asked as Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table, moving over to allow him room to sit down. Harry sat down and picked up a roll before answering. He looked at Ron and Hermione, taking in the hopeful expressions on their faces, and sighed heavily. Their faces fell, and Harry shrugged hopelessly. "He said I could go." He said in a sombre voice.  
  
Ron and Hermione grinned. "Yes!" Ron said, his grin becoming so wide it almost split his face in half. Hermione looked equally happy as she ladled some casserole onto her plate. It seemed that they had been waiting for Harry before starting to eat.  
  
"So what happened then?" She asked before taking a bite. Harry started to help himself to casserole as well. "Well, there were loads of people there. Mad-Eye Moody, Remus, Snuffles, this other guy I don't know, Snape, oh…and your Dad." He said, looking over at Ron.  
  
Ron's eyes widened. "Dad's here? Why?" He said, looking up at the staff table as if expecting Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley to suddenly appear. Harry shrugged. "It looked like a council of war." He said, remembering the tired, determined looks on all their faces.  
  
Hermione and Ron looked slightly less cheerful at this, but laughed when Harry told them about Mrs. Figg, to relieve the tension. Ron picked up a slice of mushroom pizza and bit into it hungrily. "So there was no trouble at all then? I'd have thought that Snuffles wouldn't have wanted you to go." He said, licking his lips. Ron loved mushroom pizza.  
  
"He didn't, but Dumbledore overruled him. He actually seemed quite anxious to get rid of me to tell the truth." Harry replied with a frown. Hermione and Ron looked at him in surprise, and Harry continued. "He said that nowhere is safe, especially now."  
  
"But Hogwarts is, isn't it?" Said Ron worriedly. Harry merely shrugged, which didn't seem to make Ron feel any better. Hermione sighed. "Well, anyway. Let's try and forget about it all. This is going to be a perfectly Muggle Christmas. I might even take you both to a football match." She added, winking at Ron who rolled his eyes. Harry laughed and started eating. He had got his permission after all, so there was nothing left to worry about right now.  
  
  
  
This has taken me so long to get up, and I am so sorry. I haven't started the next chapter yet, but I will soon, I promise! And hopefully it won't take as long as this one did.  
  
Love ya- sparkley 


	13. Going home for Christmas

Disclaimer- I only own the new characters and the plot. I am making no money from this story- believe me. I would know.  
  
Going home for Christmas.  
  
Hermione practically leapt onto the Hogwarts Express as the scarlet train pulled into Hogsmeade station. Since it had been decided that they would go to her house for Christmas, she had been very excited, and couldn't wait to get home. It was obvious that she preferred to spend the holidays with her family.  
  
Ron and Harry boarded the train after her, a little more soberly. The three of them sat in their own compartment and played exploding snap as the Hogwarts Express wound its way south. Daphne was in another compartment with Lori and their friends Lara and Jake.  
  
Hermione had just been up to the front to ask the driver how long it would take to get to King's Cross when Daphne came hurrying up the corridor towards her. She looked furious.  
  
"Hermione! You will never *believe* what just happened." She said breathlessly, skidding to a halt next to her cousin. Her hands were balled up in fists and she sounded about ready to explode. Hermione frowned. "What? What's wrong?" She asked.  
  
"We were just sitting there talking when in comes Draco Malfoy, without even *knocking*, and he grabs Lori by the arm and drags her out of the compartment. So we all…" The compartment door slid open and Harry and Ron poked their heads out, listening with frowns identical to Hermione's. Daphne carried on.  
  
"So we all told him to leave her alone, and he tells us to shut up and stay out of it. So I went into the corridor after them, and he didn't even *look* at me, he just put his wand over his shoulder and said Stupidf… Stpifid… Stupif… well, whatever it was. And I dodged it and it hit Jake, who was behind me. But we don't know what to do and Lori's with him and she *can't* go home with them, she just can't! She looked so scared…"  
  
Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron, who looked as helpless as she felt. What could they do? They had no right to stop Lori going home with her family, even if Draco acted more like a zookeeper than a brother- even though Lucius Malfoy was a Deatheater and would be furious his daughter wasn't in Slytherin. They couldn't prove anything. The only person they could help right now was Jake.  
  
"Where's Jake?" Hermione asked urgently. Daphne pointed up the corridor. "In the next carriage." She answered. Hermione started up the corridor, closely followed by the other three. They found the compartment without any trouble- Jake's feet were sticking out through the door. Hermione slid the door open the rest of the way to find Lara, frantic with worry on the other side.  
  
"Hermione! Thank god! What's wrong with him? Do you know? Can you help? What do we do?" She babbled. Hermione stepped inside the compartment and smiled at the younger girl. "It's alright Lara. He's only been Stunned." She pointed her wand at Jake, who looked like he was sleeping peacefully, and muttered, "Enervate!" under her breath. Jake woke up straight away, and sat up groggily. Daphne and Lara breathed simultaneous sighs of relief.  
  
"How're you feeling?" Hermione asked Jake as he pulled himself up onto one of the seats. He shrugged, looking a bit confused. "Fine. What happened?" He asked curiously. "Malfoy stunned you." Hermione replied, standing aside to let Daphne back into the compartment. Jake frowned angrily- he had a witch mother, so he knew what it was to be stunned. Daphne cleared her throat.  
  
"He was aiming for me, but I ducked. I'm sorry Jake." She said, biting her lip. Jake rolled his eyes. "Don't apologise. I feel fine. Where's Lori?" he asked, looking around the compartment. Lara glanced fearfully at Daphne, who looked down at the floor, gritting her teeth. Hermione exchanged looks with Ron and Harry, who both knew the same thing as she did- Lori was a Malfoy, and they had no right to stick their noses in Malfoy family business. Not yet anyway.  
  
Daphne looked up at Jake. "She's with Draco." She said bitterly. Jake glanced over at Harry, Ron and Hermione. The rivalry between those three and Draco Malfoy was legendry at Hogwarts, in all the houses and in all the years. But at this moment in time, they didn't look ready to lead an all- out attack on Malfoy.  
  
"Daphne, maybe you should come into our compartment. We're at King's Cross already." Hermione said. Indeed, the Hogwarts Express was already pulling into the station. Daphne frowned. "What about Lori?" She asked confusedly. Hermione sighed. "There's nothing you can do about it… I'm sorry, but it's true." Hermione added as Daphne started to protest. The train shuddered to a halt. "Come on." Hermione said, picking up Daphne's bag and handing it to her. "Wingardium Leviosa." She said, pointing her wand at Daphne's trunk. It soared into the air and hovered in between the cousins. Daphne pulled out her wand reluctantly and took the trunk off of Hermione. "Bye you two." Hermione said to Lara and Jake. "Merry Christmas." She added before turning and leaving the compartment. Harry and Ron turned and followed her, and Daphne, after saying her goodbyes to Lara and Jake, turned and followed them.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione collected their things and got out onto the platform. Daphne was already there waiting for them, surrounded by cold, hurried students, getting off the train and saying goodbye to their friends. The students with magic parents were meeting them there; others were crowding over to the gate to get into the main station.  
  
Hermione smiled at her cousin, who was looking very glum. "Let's go then." She said cheerfully. Daphne nodded and started to head towards the exit. They had to wait in the queue for about fifteen minutes, but finally they got through the barrier and were able to breathe again. Hermione immediately began to search the crowds for her parents.  
  
"Hermione! Daphne!" Hermione, Daphne, Harry and Ron turned around to see Mrs Granger hurrying towards them, looking a bit rushed but with a big smile on her face. Hermione grinned and stepped forward to hug her mother. "Hi Mum!" She said happily. Joanne Granger beamed at her daughter. "Hi honey, how are you?" She asked. "Fine. Are you O.K?" Hermione replied. Her mother nodded, and then spotted Daphne.  
  
"Well Miss Granger. Someone didn't tell us she was a witch." She said sternly. Daphne smiled sheepishly. "I could say the same thing to your daughter, Mrs Granger." She replied cheekily. Then she laughed and ran to give her Aunt a hug. "Hi Auntie Jo!" She said with a grin. Joanne smiled and hugged her niece tightly. "Hi Honeybunch. How was your first term?" She asked. Daphne nodded happily. "It was great. Apart from Hermione bullying me all he time, that is." She said with a shrug, sighing heavily. "Oh well. You can't have everything, can you?" Joanne said with a laugh. Then she turned to Harry and Ron.  
  
"Hello you two. I apologise on behalf of my niece for having had to put up with her last term." She said with a grin. Daphne hit her aunt playfully on the arm and Hermione, Harry and Ron laughed.  
  
"Thanks for letting us stay Mrs Granger." Harry said. Joanne Granger waved a hand dismissively. "It's a pleasure Harry. And for heaven's sake, don't call me Mrs Granger- it makes me feel so old. My name's Jo." She said with a grin. Harry and Ron nodded mutely as 'Jo' bent down to peer into Crookshanks' cage. "Hello trouble." She said through the wicker. She straightened up and spotted the owls, perched in their cages on top of Ron and Harry's trunks. Jo grinned. "Hi Hedwig, how are you your ladyship?" She cooed. Harry looked at Hedwig and laughed. His owl was ruffling her feathers and looking very smug; she loved any form of flattery. Jo grinned at Pigwidgeon. "Hey Pig! Haven't grown much have you?" She said to the tiny owl. Pig hooted in reply and hopped up and down on his perch.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on Mum, stop talking to the animals." She said. Jo laughed and straightened up. "Alright. The car's parked out front." She said, starting to head towards the exit. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne followed her, waving goodbye to various people they knew who were still milling around the station.  
  
They got to the car park and Jo pointed towards a dark-blue space cruiser parked nearby. Hermione's eyes widened. "You got a new car?" She asked in disbelief. Jo nodded with a smile. "Do you like it?"  
  
Hermione grinned. "It's gorgeous! I always wanted one of these cars!" She said as they reached it. She bent down to peer through the window. Jo grinned. "I know." She said, unlocking the boot. She swiftly folded down one of the back seats to make extra room for the trunks. They put them all in, along with the book bags, and slammed the boot shut.  
  
Hermione climbed into the front seat, Crookshanks' cage on her lap. Ron, Harry and Daphne climbed into the back, where they all had a separate chair and plenty of legroom- even with all the trunks in the car. The owls stayed in their cages, sitting on their owners' laps. Daphne smiled sadly. "I feel left out. I'm the only one without a pet." She said sulkily.  
  
Jo grinned as she climbed into the driver's seat. "I'm sure your fish are missing you." She said sarcastically. Daphne glared at her aunt, but then just grinned. Hermione suddenly turned to her mum. "Where's Dad?" She asked. Jo grinned. "Nice of you to realise he isn't here. It only took you fifteen minutes." She said as she backed the car out of the parking space. Hermione smiled sheepishly. "He's at work, but he might be home by the time we get there." Jo said with a laugh.  
  
They started to drive out of the station, but almost immediately hit a traffic jam- it was rush hour in central London after all. Hermione leant forward and began to fiddle with the radio. Daphne grinned happily. "At last! Some music." She said gleefully as a pop song blared out. Jo grinned at her daughter.  
  
"Your baby's missing you." She said to her. Hermione smiled. "Is she? You have remembered to feed her, haven't you?" She said sternly. Jo nodded as they turned a corner and hit another traffic jam.  
  
Harry leant forward. "What baby? What are you talking about?" He asked. Daphne grinned. "They're talking about Tallulah." She answered. "Who?" Harry and Ron asked simultaneously. Daphne smiled. "You'll see…" She said mysteriously.  
  
Hermione's house wasn't very far from central London, but with the traffic it took them about forty minutes to get to her house. It was a semi- detached, quite large house, not very different from the kind on Privet Drive. There was no front garden- they had built over it to extend the driveway. However, there were plenty of bushes and flowers bordering the path, though not in bloom at the moment as it was winter.  
  
Jo helped get all the trunks out of the car and then opened the front door. As she did so she looked at her watch and sighed in relief. "Luke will be here any minute. It's lucky we got here before him." She said. Daphne grinned. "That's a shame. It would have been funny to make him wait." She said. "Luke's your brother, right?" Ron asked as he dragged his trunk through the front door. Daphne nodded. "Not by choice though." She said.  
  
Harry grinned. "I take it you don't like him then?" He asked. Daphne shrugged. "He's alright sometimes, but other times he's a complete prat." She said. Harry nodded. "Kind of like Ron." He said with another grin, dodging to one side as Ron tried to sock him round the head.  
  
Jo laughed and turned on the hall light, closing the front door behind her. "Ben's not home yet." She said, taking off her coat and hanging it up on a wooden peg. She took the coats from Harry, Ron, Daphne and Hermione, and hung them up as well. Jo grinned at the boys. "Well, Harry and Ron, welcome to our house, otherwise known as the black hole, as you an never find anything. That's usually because Ben hides it though. Anyway…" She made her way down the hall, which ended in a staircase leading upstairs.  
  
"Let me give you a guided tour. This is the door leading down to the basement, but you don't need to go down there unless Daphne is annoying you too much and you feel like locking her somewhere. The key's in the lock." She said, winking at Hermione, who grinned and shook her head slightly. 'Ignore her' she mouthed at Harry and Ron. Jo didn't notice. She opened the one other door leading off of the hall and went inside, switching on the light as she did so. It was the living room- and was large, cosy, had two overstuffed sofas, an armchair and a large coffee table. There was a fireplace against one wall, and in the opposite corner stood a beautiful, large piano. It was dark-wood, brightly polished and had carvings of vines down its legs.  
  
"Tallulah!" Hemione said, walking over to it. "How's my baby?" She cooed, running her hand along the top of the piano. Harry and Ron watched her incredulously. "*That's* Tallulah?" Ron asked in disbelief. Daphne frowned at him. "Don't talk about her as though she's a *thing*." She said sternly. Ron raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.  
  
Hermione laughed and sat down on the stool in front of 'Tallulah'. She smiled at Ron and Harry. "Tooey's been in the family for years. So therefore she's part of the family." Hermione lifted up the wooden flap over the keys. "She needs lots of love, polish, and if she's not played with, she gets very lonely." She said, her hand hovering over the piano.  
  
Harry frowned. "Can you play the piano?" He asked in surprise. Hermione grinned and, quick as a flash, the hand that had been hovering landed on the keys and played a short, but distinctive tune. Daphne tutted. "Show off." She muttered under her breath.  
  
Hermione smiled and was about to answer when suddenly the doorbell rang. She stood up, and Daphne sighed. "Here we go…" she muttered.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "He's not that bad Daph." She said. Daphne folded her arms and said nothing. Jo laughed. "Honestly." She said. "Anyway, from what Hermione has told me about Divination, I predict that either Ben or Luke is at the door." She said, heading back out into the hallway.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry and Ron laughed. "Careful, it could be a Grim." Ron called after Jo, causing them to laugh harder. Daphne looked confused. "Huh?" She said. Hermione shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She said, as the sounds of the door being opened came from the hallway.  
  
"Hi Aunt Jo." A male, teenage voice said. "It's Ben." Daphne said sarcastically. Hermione giggled. They heard Jo speaking. "Hi Luke! How's my favourite nephew?" She said cheerfully. "I'm your only nephew." They heard Luke say. Jo laughed. "That's beside the point." She replied. "Go on through to the living room, everyone's here." "Everyone?" Luke asked confusedly. Daphne walked over to the door as her brother came through.  
  
Luke Granger was almost as tall as Ron, but not quite. He had thick brown hair, but it wasn't bushy and was darker than Hermione's and Daphne's. He had bright brown eyes like them, though, and you could definitely tell they were related. When he entered, the first person he spotted was Daphne, and he smiled at his little sister. "Hi Dee." He said. "How was your, er, term?"  
  
Daphne grinned. "Lots of fun thanks." She replied. Luke raised an eyebrow. "Did you learn how to pull a bunny out of a hat yet?" He said jokingly, but Daphne's eyes narrowed. Hermione cleared her throat and Luke looked over at her. "Um… hi Hermione." He said, turning a bit red. He glanced fearfully at Daphne, thinking he had said too much, and then suddenly spotted Harry and Ron.  
  
"Um, hi." He said. Harry and Ron nodded at him, in that annoying way that boys always do, and he turned back to Hermione. "Friends of yours?" He asked. Hermione nodded and stood up. "These are my friends from school, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley." She said, pointing them out as she introduced them. "Harry and Ron, this is my cousin Luke."  
  
Jo came in at that moment and sat down on the armchair. "So Luke, was you surprised when you found out your sister was a witch?" She asked casually. Hermione rolled her eyes, and Daphne snorted with laughter. Harry and Ron listened bemusedly. Luke stared at his aunt in surprise. "Um…what…how do you know? He stammered. Jo smiled. "You can't hide anything from your Aunt Jo you know." She said with a grin. Luke glanced over at Daphne, and then at Hermione, Harry and Ron. "Er…well, Jo, no-one else is really meant to…" Jo waved her hand dismissively. "They won't say anything, honestly." Jo said as they heard the front door being opened again. Hermione grinned and went over to the living room door, just as Ben Granger came through it.  
  
"Hi Dad!" She exclaimed, reaching up to give him a hug. Ben Granger grinned and hugged Hermione tight; lifting her about four inches off the floor. "Hi Hermy! How are you Honey?" He said as he put her back down. Hermione smiled happily. "Fine." She said. Ben Granger put a hand on each of her shoulders and held her at arm's length, peering at her closely. "You haven't changed any part of your body this term, have you?" He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed his hands away. "Get over the tooth thing Dad." She said. Ben Granger grinned again and looked over at Daphne.  
  
"Hi Daph! How's the newest witch in the family?" He asked with a wink. Daphne grinned and hugged her Uncle. "Hi Uncle Ben." She said with a giggle. Ben smiled at Luke. "Hi Luke. How are you?" Luke smiled back, though it looked like a great effort to do so. "I'm alright. A bit confused, but apart from that…" He said.  
  
Ben grinned and turned to Harry and Ron. "Hi Harry, hi Ron. Sorry if I get you mixed up, but I'm like that. Sorry." He said with a grin. Jo stood up. "Well, come on you lot. Let's have dinner- it's already in the kitchen." She said, standing back to allow everyone to go through to the next room.  
  
As they passed her, Jo grinned at Harry and Ron. "So, *can* you pull a rabbit out of a hat?" She asked. Luke stopped dead and stared at them. Hermione grinned at the startled look on her cousin's face and answered her mother's question. "I'll look it up in the library when we get back to Hogwarts." She said, causing Luke's mouth to drop open in surprise.  
  
Hermione folded her arms and looked at Luke sceptically. "What's wrong?" She asked. "Surely you didn't think Daphne was the first witch in the family, did you?"  
  
  
  
A/N- I am sooooooooo sorry that this took me so long to get up- please don't shoot me! It's just that I… I mean, I had to…… O.K, I don't have an excuse, but still, please don't shoot me! 


	14. IceSkating and Kittens

Disclaimer- Whatever.  
  
Ice-skating and kittens.  
  
"Ron, wake up!"  
  
Ron sat up groggily as Harry chucked a large pillow at his head. Harry was standing at the other side of the room, already fully dressed and grinning. "Oh, so you haven't died." He said as Ron got out of bed. Ron glared at him. "Not yet." He replied. Harry rolled his eyes; Ron was always a little testy in the morning.  
  
"What time is it?" Ron asked sleepily. "Nine." Harry replied, pulling open the trapdoor in the floor. The two boys were sharing the loft room, which had been converted into a large guest bedroom. The Granger house had four bedrooms, not including the loft, so all the visitors could fit in comfortably. "See you downstairs." Harry said to Ron as he started down the wooden ladder that was attached securely to the opening.  
  
As Harry made his way down the stairs, he was joined by Mr Granger, who was wearing what Harry recognised as a football shirt. He didn't know the team though.  
  
"Morning Mr Granger." Harry said cheerfully. "Hi Mr Potter." He replied sarcastically. Harry grinned. "Sorry Ben." He corrected. Ben grinned back. "That's better." He said as they reached the kitchen. Mrs Gran- er, *Joanne*, was standing in front of the oven, frying pancakes. Hermione was the only other person who was awake, and was sitting at the table reading Hogwarts: A History for what must have been the thousandth time. Ben sat down at the table next to his daughter, and Harry slid into a chair opposite them.  
  
"Morning Harry!" Hermione said cheerfully, laying her book down in front of her. "Hi Herm." Harry replied. "Good morning Father, how are you? Oh I'm fine, thank you Hermione, the light of my life." Ben said sarcastically. Harry laughed, but Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't encourage him." She warned.  
  
Ben winked at Harry as Joanne placed a huge stack of pancakes on the table. "Dig in." she said with a grin. Harry helped himself to a pancake, and doused it in maple syrup. "What team do you support Mr, er, Ben?" He asked, rolling up his pancake and nodding at his shirt. Ben grinned. "Millwall." He said cheerfully. "We all do. Even Hermione does. She used to have a season ticket before she went to Hogwarts."  
  
Harry's eyes widened as he looked at Hermione. "Do you like football? I didn't know." He asked. Hermione nodded. "Yeah, it's really fun down the Den- that's Millwall's home ground. Everyone sings loads of songs, and even though they're quite, um, well anyway, it's really fun." She said delicately, taking a pancake. Harry grinned and went to take a bite out of his pancake, but stopped as a loud shout came from the other end of the table.  
  
"MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL-"  
  
Hermione clapped her hands to her ears and frowned. "Dad!" She yelled angrily. Ben stopped shouting and grinned at his daughter. "What?" He asked innocently. Before Hermione could answer, the shouting started up again, but this time it was coming from the doorway.  
  
"MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLWALL!"  
  
Daphne came bouncing into the kitchen, yelling just as loudly as her Uncle had done. Ben grinned and joined in, and soon the room was almost vibrating with the noise they were creating. Joanne carried on making breakfast, pointedly ignoring the football chant. Hermione still had her ears covered, but she was obviously trying not to laugh. Ron entered the kitchen a few moments after Daphne, a confused look on his face.  
  
The yelling eventually stopped and Hermione lowered her hands, frowning at Daphne and her father. "Finished?" She asked icily. Ben shrugged, helping himself to some pancakes.  
  
"You used to be a Millwall supporter too." Daphne said, pretending to be angry with Hermione. Hermione smiled. "I still am, it's just I feel unable to cope with all that shouting so early in the morning." She replied. Ron sat down next to Harry. "What's Millwall?" He asked curiously. Hermione picked up her fork. "It's the football team that I support." She said, cutting her pancake.  
  
"You're into football?" He asked in surprise. Hermione nodded, and he grinned. "Well, at least Dean Thomas will have someone to talk to at last." He said, taking a pancake. Hermione shook her head. "I could never talk to *Dean* about football." She said indignantly. Ron looked up. "Why not?" He asked.  
  
Hermione smiled sweetly. "Because *that* would be fraternising with the enemy." She said. Ron's ears went pink immediately, and Harry snorted. Daphne frowned. "Huh? Where'd that come from?" She asked. Hermione rolled her eyes. "That was what Ron's argument was based on last year at the Yule Ball." She told her. Daphne grinned. "You mean about Krum?" Daphne burst out laughing, and Hermione joined in. "It's stupid, isn't it?" She said. Daphne calmed down enough to shake her head. "No, it's brilliant! Couldn't have put it better myself." She said, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Hermione stopped laughing and glared at her cousin, which just made Daphne laugh harder. Harry started laughing at the look on Hermione's face, so she glared at him as well, making him laugh harder. Ron was looking very smug, and Hermione's parents were looking very confused.  
  
When Harry and Daphne had recovered from their laughing fit, Ron turned back to Hermione. "So why is Dean an enemy?" He asked. "He's a West Ham supporter." She said, still glaring at Daphne.  
  
Ben's fork clattered onto his plate and he clutched his face in mock horror. "What?! And you haven't converted him yet?" Ben turned to his daughter, grabbed her by the shoulders and started to shake her. "Hermione! You must bring him back to the light!" He cried dramatically. Hermione pushed him away as Daphne started laughing again. Harry and Ron sat watching bemusedly as Hermione turned to face them again.  
  
"West Ham and Millwall are sworn enemies." She explained. "Now, I like Dean, but being a West Ham supporter does let him down a bit." She said with a grin. Harry shook his head slightly. "So, are Millwall better?" He asked. Daphne snorted. "No! Millwall are crap!" She said. Ron frowned. "So who do you support then?" He asked her.  
  
Daphne grinned. "Millwall." She said. Ron looked really confused, so Hermione decided to explain. "Millwall are quite bad, but we support them anyway." She said, and Ron nodded. Daphne shrugged. "It's like supporting the Chudley Cannons." She explained. Ron frowned. "Hey!" He said indignantly. Daphne looked at him in surprise. "Do you support the Cannons?" She asked. Ron nodded, and she grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm sure you'll conquer again soon." She said, earning a glare from Ron and a laugh from the others who had ever read Quidditch Through the Ages.  
  
"Ok, enough about football." Joanne said, sitting down at the table. "What are you lot doing today?" She asked. "We thought that we'd check out the new ice-skating rink in town today." Hermione said with a smile. Harry turned pale. "Ice skating?" He repeated fearfully. Hermione looked at him. "Yeah." She answered. "Why?"  
  
"Er- I've never been and I doubt I'll be any good." He said uneasily. Daphne smiled. "That doesn't matter, you can keep me company, holding onto the edge." She said airily. Harry nodded and went back to his pancakes. Hermione turned to Ron. "Have you ever been ice-skating Ron?" She asked him. Ron nodded. "Once, a few years ago. I hated it." He said. Hermione nodded and shrugged. "Oh well, that doesn't matter. We'd better leave soon though." She said, taking her plate over to the sink. Joanne frowned. "Aren't you going to wait for Luke?" She asked disapprovingly.  
  
Daphne laughed. "Are you kidding? We'd be here all day!" She said, standing up to clear away her things as well. She picked up Ron and Harry's plates and took them over to the sink. "Besides," she said. "He doesn't want to come, we asked him last night." Joanne sighed. "Well, ok then." She said, as Hermione and Daphne left the kitchen, closely followed by Harry and Ron.  
  
"Why do we have to leave so early?" Ron asked curiously as they pulled on their jackets in the hallway. Hermione unlocked the front door and pulled it open. "Because we're getting the tube and it's rush hour at the moment, so it'll take a while." She said as they all filed through. Ron frowned. "What's rush hour?" He asked as they began to walk down the road. Harry grinned. "You'll see." He said.  
  
And see he did. When they got to the tube station, (called 'Canada Water') it was chocka block with men and women running around to get onto the trains. The four of them wound their way through the crowd and queued up to buy tickets. Hermione said that they might as well buy travel cards for a week, because they would be doing a lot of travelling and they were handy to have. They waited in the line for fifteen minutes before they were served, and Hermione bought the cards, even though the man had looked suspicious as to whether or not the others were sixteen or under. Luckily, he didn't make a fuss and handed them over.  
  
Hermione gave them each a card, grabbed Ron by the arm and led him over to a line of barrier machines. "Right," she said briskly. "Watch what everyone does. You see- they put their card in the slot at this end, it comes out at the top, and the doors open for them. Simple enough?" Ron nodded and managed to follow Harry through the barriers without any trouble. He was a bit jumpy when it came to climbing onto the escalators, but after doing it once he was fine. The four of them made their way down onto a platform, a lot smaller than 9 and ¾, and joined the great mass of people already there.  
  
As it was a Saturday, there were not only businessmen and women, but also families and groups of friends up for a day's shopping or another day trip of some sort. There were tracks at each side of the platform, but glass sheets cornered them both off. However, when the first train pulled in, it stopped in just the right position for the doors in the glass barriers to open at the same place as the train doors, and so people were able to get on.  
  
When their train came, it was so packed that hardly anyone was able to get on. So they waited for the next, and then the next, and then the next, until finally they were right next to the doors so when the next came three minutes later, they were among the first to get on. Ron was so tall that he could probably have held onto the ceiling of the tube for support, but instead opted to hold onto one of the suspended handles in front of his face. Hermione reached up and grabbed one as well, but Harry and Daphne were too short and just held onto the yellow bar by the door. Ron started laughing when he saw that Harry was too short to hold onto the straps hanging from the ceiling, but one death-glare from Hermione shut him up.  
  
They were only on the tube for ten minutes, which was lucky as Ron had never been on one before, was not used to the way it was underground, very hot and stuffy, bram-packed with people and rocked from side to side as it went. By the time they got to Waterloo station, he was looking slightly green. "Maybe we should get the bus back." Daphne said as they boarded another escalator to take them up into the main station.  
  
It took them a while to get out of Waterloo Station as the Jubilee Line, (which they had just been on) was built so far away from the exit. They had to travel on several escalators and many long moving belts like you find in airports. Finally, they stepped out into the cold December air. It had taken them an hour to get there from Canada Water, when it would have normally taken them ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Voicing this opinion, Hermione began to lead the way down the road. They walked for about ten minutes, past a Primary school, (which Ron found interesting as he had never been to one), a Secondary school, many shops and finally a large, elegant building with a huge cannon on the lawn in front of it. "That's the Imperial War Museum." Daphne said as they passed it. "We could go there after ice-skating." Harry and Ron rolled their eyes, and Hermione rolled her eyes right back at them. "Don't worry, this museum good. You'll like it."  
  
They walked for another few minutes, until they finally reached a huge, warehousey- looking building, surrounded by a car park and with a sign saying 'Super Skate' on the side. Hermione grinned at them. "Come on then!" She said, leading the way inside.  
  
There were dozens of people in the entrance hall, forming a large queue for tickets. The rink was opening in fifteen minutes, so people were still arriving as well. Hermione and Daphne joined the queue, but Harry and Ron wandered over to a massive window on the right hand side, which afforded a view of the ice-skating rink. It was oval shaped, and huge. Down at one end was a counter lending out skates, surrounded by a large crowd of people tying up boots and putting things in lockers. Harry and Ron watched for a few minutes before heading back over to Hermione and Daphne, who were waiting for them at the entrance gate to the rink, tickets in their hands.  
  
Hermione handed them both two tickets each. "This one is your entrance ticket, and this is for your shoes. Don't' mix them up." She said, handing one of her tickets to the guard and going through the gate. The other three followed her down a flight of iron steps, and out onto the side of the rink. Kids and adults of all ages were milling around waiting for the rink to open, some wearing skates already. Hermione, Harry, Ron and Daphne made there way along the side of the rink to the skates stand, and joined the long queue for skates.  
  
"Hermione?" Hermione looked around to see who had spoken, and her eyes widened in shock. "Kevin?" She gasped. A boy about her age stepped forward with a grin. He was wearing one skate and held another in his hand, wobbling slightly. He had blond hair and bright blue eyes. "Hey Brainiac, how've you been?" He said.  
  
Hermione grinned back. "Good, how've you been thickso? I haven't seen you in ages." She said. Kevin shrugged. "I'm alright. Wow. Fancy seeing you here." He said, glancing at Harry and Ron out of the corner of his eye. Hermione smiled. "Er, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, friends of mine from school. Harry, Ron, this is Kevin Carter, a friend of mine, from my old school." She said. Kevin shook hands with both of them. "You know my cousin, don't you? Daphne Granger?" Hermione said. Kevin looked at Daphne for a moment and then nodded. "Er- yeah. You're Luke's sister, right?" Daphne nodded. "Yep." She said.  
  
"Kevin? Kevin where are you?" A female voice rang out, and Hermione cringed visibly. Kevin grinned. "Maybe I should get out of here before…" He began, but Hermione cut him off sadly. "Too late." She sighed, before putting on her best fake smile. "Miranda- hi!"  
  
A short girl with dark brown hair and watery blue eyes suddenly appeared from amongst the crowd, glaring at Hermione. Then she suddenly smiled brightly as well. "Well well well, Hermione Granger. What a lovely surprise!" It was quite obvious from her tone of voice that she wasn't enjoying seeing Hermione there at all. Hermione raised an eyebrow, but kept smiling. Kevin cleared his throat. "We'd better be going, the rink's opening now." He said, taking a brave stab at trying to alleviate the tension slightly. Ron and Harry could tell from the look on his face that he didn't want the two girls standing next to each other for very long. Daphne also seemed to be getting that feeling, because she was shifting from foot to foot, and her eyes were darting between her cousin and Miranda anxiously.  
  
Miranda glanced at the people crowding onto the ice, and then turned coldly back to Hermione. "See you on the ice, *Brainiac*." She said with a slight hint of a threat in her voice. She turned to walk away, but Hermione spoke up. "Your hair's looking very green today." She said coolly. Miranda paused for a moment, clenched her fists, but then kept on walking. Hermione smirked, and turned back to Kevin, who seemed torn between amusement and exasperation.  
  
"You shouldn't have done that- she'll be in a mood all day now." He said. Hermione stopped smirking, and started to look ashamed. "I'm sorry Kev- she just…" "It's alright. Don't worry. I'd better go. See you later." He smiled one last time, nodded to Harry and Ron, and then hurried over to the rink entrance, pulling on his skate as he went.  
  
Ron started on Hermione straight away. "What was that all about?" He demanded as soon as Kevin was gone. Hermione lifted an eyebrow. "What- Miranda? She's a little, well, she's a bit…"  
  
"Bitchy." Daphne finished for her. Hermione frowned. "No- she's just, well she's, ok, she's bitchy." Hermione shrugged and handed her skates ticket to the man behind the counter. "Size five please." She said. Everyone else also got their skates and they all went over to a bench to put them on. "Me and Miranda didn't like each other very much in Primary school." Hermione said as they sat down. "But we managed to avoid each other pretty effectively until Year Five. But then Kevin came to our school, and we became friends. Unfortunately, Miranda is his cousin, so he had to hang out with her as well. He's too nice to tell her to push off."  
  
Daphne grinned. "I almost died laughing that day…" She said, starting to giggle as she laced up her skates. Hermione grinned as well, turning a bit red. Harry and Ron frowned, so Hermione continued to explain. "One day in Year Six, Miranda was acting particularly horrible to a new girl in our class. I started to defend her, and she got shirty with me. Then suddenly her hair turned green. Now, this was before I knew I was a Witch, so I was completely bemused. But it was so funny." Hermione started to laugh at the memory. Harry grinned thoughtfully.  
  
"I did that once. But mine was a hundred times worse because it was my teacher's wig. I turned it blue." He said. Ron started laughing at this and Harry shrugged. By this time, they had finished pulling on their skates, and so they stood up and hobbled over to the rink entrance. Hermione grinned. "I'm sorry, but I just have to have a good skate first. I'll be back in a minute." She said, stepping confidently onto the ice. A second later she was out of sight.  
  
Hermione skated into the middle of the rink, where the more experienced skaters were circling around. Hermione joined in, feeling really happy to be skating again. She used to travel to Gillingham at least once a month with her Dad to go ice-skating, but once she had started Hogwarts, she had only been twice.  
  
"Wait up 'Mione!" Hermione spun round and was surprised to see Ron skating towards her with ease, as if he had been doing it for years. Hermione gaped at him in shock. "I thought you'd only been once!" She exclaimed as he stopped next to her. Ron shrugged. "Just because I've only been skating once doesn't mean that I'm no good at it. I had to be- I had Fred and George chasing me around with snowballs." He said with a grin. Hermione laughed. "Ok then." She said, starting to skate again. After about three minutes, Ron suggested that they go back and find out where Daphne and Harry were, so they skated back over to edge to try and find them.  
  
It didn't take long. Harry was about two feet away from the entrance, clinging onto the wall as if his life depended on it. Daphne was standing next to him, steadying herself with one hand, and trying to persuade Harry to try and let go. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked, as they got closer. Daphne rolled her eyes. "He won't even try." She complained to her cousin. Harry didn't seem to hear her; he was concentrating on standing completely still. Ron grinned.  
  
"Come on Harry, it's not that hard." He said, leaning on the wall next to Daphne. Harry glared at him. "Shut up." He replied slowly and coldly. Ron shrugged and Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we should have got Fred and George to come- he could have learnt the same way you did Ron." She said. Ron grinned, pushed himself away from the wall and over to where Harry stood. "Listen Harry, all you have to do is… is that Dudley?" Ron exclaimed. Harry looked up in surprise. "Where?" He asked, glancing around. Ron seized the opportunity, grabbed Harry's hands and pulled them off the wall. Harry slid back about a foot, his arms flailing madly, but he calmed down when he realised he hadn't fallen over.  
  
Hermione laughed. "Good one." She said to Ron, who shrugged, grinning at Harry. Harry, on the other hand, looked furious. "Ha ha." He muttered sarcastically. Daphne pushed away from the wall slightly as well. "Come on Harry. You haven't fallen over. That's a start, right?" She said encouragingly.  
  
An hour later, the four of them had circled the outside of the rink about twelve times, and they were all starting to get tired. Harry hadn't fallen over once, and was getting more confident. Which was more than could be said for Daphne, who had fallen over three times, much to Ron's amusement.  
  
"Do you want to start heading back?" Hermione asked them all, coaxing nods out of her friends. Daphne smiled. "It really wears you out, doesn't it?" She said, holding tightly onto the side again. Ron, who was skating backwards, shrugged. "I don't know about that. But these skates are too small for me; I've got blisters all over my feet." He said, wincing. Hermione nodded. "Ok, so all agreed?" She said, and they all said yes. At that moment, they were distracted by Daphne falling over for the fourth time. Ron started laughing straight away, as usual. Daphne glared at him as she pulled herself up, and he grinned. "Do you like it down there or something?" He asked. Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Not really, but you might." She said, shoving him in the chest. Ron fell and landed heavily on his backside. Harry, Hermione and Daphne all burst out laughing at the look on his face. "Very funny." He said darkly, grabbing the side and getting up. Daphne smiled sweetly at him, and Ron looked like he was going to say something else, but they had reached the exit, so he didn't.  
  
Once the four of them had traded their skates back in for their own shoes, they headed over to the small fast-food restaurant near the entrance, where Hermione treated them all to a burger. While they ate them Ron told them all about the one time his father had taken him, Ginny, the twins and Percy to MacDonald's, and how George had managed to turn Percy's burger into a crab, which had promptly clamped its claws on Percy's hand.  
  
Hermione crumpled up her wrapper and sighed. "Let's get out of here before Miranda comes in." She said, standing up and brushing crumbs off her jeans. The other three did the same, and they made their way out of the ice- skating rink and onto the cold street.  
  
"That was fun." Daphne said. "Even if I did keep falling over." She added, glaring at Ron to stop him laughing. Hermione smiled. "It was fun. I've missed skating." She said a little sadly. Harry looked at her thoughtfully. "What else did you have to give up to come to Hogwarts?" He asked curiously. Hermione shrugged. "Well, there was the skating. The only other things that I really miss are watching Friends every week, knowing all the new music, and going dancing. Oh, and of course football matches." She said. Ron raised his eyebrows. "Dancing?" He asked.  
  
Hermione sighed. "Yeah. I used to go twice a week. Ballet, tap and disco. I miss that." She said heavily. "But I definitely don't miss the people I went dancing with." She added, perking up a bit.  
  
They had reached the bus stop, and they spent the next ten minutes explaining the Muggle bus system to Ron.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Luke spent the next four days avoiding Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne as much as he could. They didn't mind though- the four of them spent all day watching TV and videos, mainly for Ron's benefit, as he had never seen either before. This gave Hermione and Daphne a great advantage, as they were able to watch all their favourite Disney films without a fifteen-year- old boy complaining about it. Ron was fascinating with anything they watched. Harry wasn't so thrilled to be watching Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and Lady and the Tramp amongst numerous others, but he tolerated them because it was three against one and he had never seen hardly any of them before.  
  
On Christmas Eve Eve, Harry and Ron were woken up by the sound of the trap door in their attic room opening. Well, Harry was- Ron slept soundly on. Harry sat up sleepily as Hermione's head appeared through the gap, followed by the rest of her. She hurriedly put the thing she was carrying on the floor and closed the trap door behind her. "Good morning." She said cheerfully, throwing a shoe at Ron to wake him up. He sat up, his eyes out of focus and his hair standing up on end.  
  
"What where?" He muttered sleepily. Harry yawned and put on his glasses, turning to look at Hermione. "I swear we just went to bed." He said, stifling another yawn. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Oh come on you two. It's almost seven for Merlin's sake." She said sternly. Ron let out an undistinguishable sound and flopped back down onto his back, pulling the covers over his head in answer. Harry silently agreed with him, but instead he turned back to Hermione. "Ok. Why are you…?" He began, but Hermione cut him off. "I've got something to show you both." She said, gesturing towards the box. She glared in Ron's direction and stood up. "To show you *both*, I said." She said, walking over to Ron's bed. She threw back the blanket, grabbed the startled Ron by the collar and began to pull him out of bed.  
  
Ron jumped and pushed her away. "Alright alright I'm up. I'm not awake, but I'm up. Ok?" he said, twisting his pyjamas back round and clambering out of bed. Hermione wandered back over to the box on the floor, which had holes cut out at the sides. "I got a Christmas present for Daphne from all of us. Is that alright?" She asked. Harry nodded and Ron yawned in reply. Hermione rolled her eyes again and began to open the box. "Look, isn't she cute!" She exclaimed as she threw the box open.  
  
First came an overlarge pair of ears, then bright blue eyes, then a small pink nose and the whiskers. The kitten was tiny, and Hermione was right- she was kind of cute. The kitten placed its front paws on the side of the box, lifted her back leg to climb over, lost balance and fell back down with a small thump.  
  
Harry smiled and sat down on the floor next to the box. "Where did you get her?" He asked curiously. Hermione reached into the box and picked up the kitten. "Friends of mine down the road- their cat had five kittens. So they gave me her." She said, stroking the kitten on the head. Ron stared at her in disbelief. "You went to someone's house at seven in the morning?" He asked exasperatedly. Hermione didn't look up at him. "Yes I did, because they were on their way to work and completely awake, unlike some people." She said sternly, placing the kitten on the floor.  
  
The kitten stumbled a bit before finding her footing, and when she did she headed straight over to Ron, who stroked her sleepily. Then he looked at her more closely, looking sceptical. "This cat is blond." He stated as she stepped onto one of his feet, purring quietly. Hermione folded her arms. "Yeah. So what?" She said testily. Ron shrugged. "It's just unusual for a cat, that's all." He said as the kitten settled down on his foot. "Great, now I can't move." He said with another yawn.  
  
Hermione smiled. "She likes you." She said with a giggle. Ron rolled his eyes, pointedly ignoring the kitten falling asleep on his foot. "How much did she cost?" Harry asked Hermione, who rolled her eyes. "The kitten didn't cost anything. But we're going to have to buy a cage, a basket and a food bowl for her." She said, her eyes still on the (now sleeping) kitten. "It's amazing how fast they can fall asleep, isn't it?" She added, going completely off the subject.  
  
"Er- when exactly are we going to, to- to get all of that?" Harry asked, stifling a yawn. "Well, we're all going shopping together today, including Luke, so we can't get it all today. But we could tomorrow, if we go quite early- the shop will close early because it's Christmas Eve." Hermione answered, reaching out for the kitten. Ron seemed to be dozing with his eyes half open, but he woke up quite effectively when the kitten dug its claws into his foot in a vain attempt to stop Hermione picking her up. "Ow!" He cried, his eyes jerking open. Hermione calmly placed the kitten back into its box.  
  
"Anyway, I brought her up here because you two are going to have to hide her in your room- it's the only place Daphne won't find her." Hermione said, placing the loose lid back on the box and standing up. Ron yawned and vaguely waved his hand over to the corner. "Whatever- I'm going back to bed. Good night." With that he stumbled back across the room, flopped down onto his bed and was asleep in seconds. Hermione began to roll her eyes at Harry, but stopped when she realised he had fallen asleep as well, still sitting on the floor with his head on his bed. Hermione placed the box in the corner near Ron's bed and then turned back to Harry. If he slept like that he would have on hell of a neck ache when he woke up.  
  
Hermione bent down and shook him gently by the shoulder. Harry sleepily batted her hand away, but didn't wake up. Hermione shook her head in exasperation and opened the trap door to leave. "Boys." She muttered darkly as she climbed down the ladder.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N- Ok, here's the deal everybody- I would like to thank my reviewers, but I can't coz I don't know who they are. I haven't had access to the Internet for over a week- my computer's playing up. I can't get onto fanfiction at school because the page is filtered. It's really starting to annoy me. Really.  
  
Anyway, my mate Aleydis is uploading this chapter for me, so everyone thank her in your reviews. Obviously the lack of Internet on my part is going to mean a dry-up in the amount of uploading I do, but don't despair! (Not that you would anyway). I will have my computer working again within a fortnight or have either died trying to get it to work for once or chopped it up with a chain saw, (of course after removing all my story records from it).  
  
So in conclusion, please bear with me!  
  
Luv sparkley xxx 


	15. Shopping

Sorry this took so long- enjoy!  
  
Chapter 15- Shopping  
  
"Where are we going again?" Ron asked from the back seat of the car, where he sat next to Harry. Hermione, Daphne and Luke were squashed into the seat in front of them, and Mr and Mrs Granger were sat in the front of the car, Joanne driving. It was Christmas Eve Eve, and everyone seemed to know where they were going, everyone apart from Ron, that is. "The shopping centre." Harry replied for what must have been the twentieth time. Ron nodded. "Right. And what exactly is a shopping centre?" He asked, for what must have been the thirtieth time. Harry gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out loud and clenched his fists to stop himself from strangling his best friend. Noticing his distress, Hermione turned around in her seat and shot Ron an angry look. "Take no notice of him Harry. He knows what a shopping centre is." She said. Harry shot a suspicious look over at Ron, who just grinned and looked out of the window. "Here we are!" Joanne said happily as she turned the car into a large multi-storey car park. She directed the car into the nearest space and turned off the engine. They took a while to get out of the car- Daphne couldn't find her purse and wouldn't leave until Luke managed to find it. When it was recovered, the group of seven made their way over to the shop entrance- they were on the ground floor, so had no need to go up or down any steps. The shopping centre was brightly lit, and decorated with stings of tinsel and giant bells I shades of red, gold and green. Daphne's face visibly lit up as she observed the decorations. "I love Christmas!" She said happily. Ron waved a hand dismissively. "This is nothing." He said, nodding towards the elaborately decorated Christmas tree, next to which stood a group of about twelve carol singers, belting out their harmonised version of 'Good King Wenceles'. Harry fell into step with Daphne and Ron. "He's right you know." He said. "Now, at ze palace of Beuxbatons, zay 'ave wood nymphs 'oo serenade zem 'as zay eat at Christmas time." Ron and Hermione started laughing at Harry's very accurate impression of Fleur Delacour, while Luke and Daphne simply watched them laugh bemusedly. "Right you lot, stand to attention." Ben said, stopping underneath a large ornate clock decorated with holly. "We'll meet you back here at half past twelve for lunch, OK? Make sure you're here, or you go hungry. Understood?" He said sternly. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Daphne and Luke nodded. Joanne smiled. "Good. Off you go then, and buy me something nice." She said with a wink as the five of them wandered off. Luke cleared his throat. "I'm meeting Mark and Craig at eleven, so I'll see you later." He said, not waiting for an answer before hurrying off. Daphne rolled her eyes. "Oh what a shame he couldn't stay with us." She said sarcastically. Hermione laughed as she directed them all into a Clinton's card shop. Ron frowned. "Why do we need cards?" He asked curiously, looking around the shop. Hermione smiled. "Christmas cards. It's a Muggle tradition. Don't worry- you don't have to get any. I just need one for my mum and dad." She said as she looked over one of the many card displays. Ron shrugged and he and Harry wandered off to the back of the store, where the noisy cards were. They spent the next ten minutes listening to all the cards they could, Ron laughing loudly at every one of them. Finally Daphne came to drag them away and the four of them left the shop and they separated to buy presents. Luckily for Ron, he had got most of the presents he needed previously on Hogsmeade visits, and so he didn't have to worry about Muggle money too much. However, he still needed to get presents for his dad and for Hemione. Harry needed presents for Hermione, Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore, even though he had never bought the headmaster a present before. Ron bought his Dad a fake mobile phone that made funny sounds when you pressed the buttons, saying to Harry that it would keep him amused for hours. His Mum had sent Ron some Muggle money, and though he had a little trouble with using it, Harry was there to help. After buying Mr Weasley's present they went into a joke shop, were they found the perfect presents for Remus and Sirius- a book of monster jokes for Remus that had a picture of a werewolf doing a stand-up comedy act on the front cover, and Muggle 'magic' set for Sirius- 'Amaze your friends and remember- the hand is quicker than the eye!' Harry also bought Sirius a packet of dog biscuits from the pet shop opposite. While in there they also bought a food bowl and a basket for Daphne's kitten. Then they had them wrapped up by some people at a stall in the middle of the shopping centre so that Daphne wouldn't know what they had bought. The two of them bumped into Hermione and Daphne outside a shop called 'H Samuels', where they were looking at displays of diamond necklaces and crystal figurines. They hurried away quickly- not wanting the boys to see what they had bought so far. Harry and Ron went into H Samuels and put their money together to buy Hermione a gold necklace with a small 'H' on it. Once that was done, they went to a shop called the 'Sock Shop', which was appropriately named seeing as though it was stocked full of socks. Harry soon found a pair he liked- they were bright green, but had pink, orange, blue and purple stripes. Harry bought them and he and Ron made their way over to the clock in the centre of the complex to meet Joanne and Ben. Everyone apart from Luke was already there, but Joanne said that he had decided to go bowling wit his friends and would see them at home later, and so the six of them headed off to a restaurant called 'Pizza Hut'. Ron was all set to order an 'individual' size mushroom pizza, but Hermione stopped him and told him to order 'medium' instead. He did so, even though he thought she was mad. However, when the pizza came, he was proved wrong because it was barely bigger than what he would eat as a snack. He finished it off with no trouble, and then helped Ben when he couldn't manage his. Everyone else had ordered pasta dishes. They headed home after lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon wrapping presents and putting finishing touches to the Christmas decorations in the living room. Hermione's Grandmother was coming to lunch on Christmas day, and so obviously they wanted the house to look nice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This chapter has an abrupt ending because it is cut in half with the next chapter. But I decided it would be far too long, so I just left it like this. Please r/r! 


	16. Christmas

This chapter is dedicated to Aleydis, for helping me with the name of Daphne's kitten. Even though she hasn't actually read this story. Anyway.  
  
I'm so proud, I have mapped out this entire story (all 28 chapters!) and it should hopefully be finished by mid-July, because that's when I go on holiday and I won't have access to a computer for 6 weeks! Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!  
  
Chapter 16- Christmas  
  
Christmas Eve passed uneventfully, and before they knew it, everyone was waking up on Christmas morning. Harry felt strange waking up without a pile of presents at the foot of his bed waiting for him, and Ron also voiced this opinion. Christmas morning was the one time of the year Ron would willingly get out of bed before half seven, which was the time the alarm clock at Hogwarts went off. In fact, he usually woke up about six on Christmas morning, because, (as he told Harry) Ginny used to run in and wake him up, and then they would terrorise everyone else in the house until they could open their presents. Harry and Ron got dressed and took all their presents downstairs. They were the first ones down there, although they could hear movement upstairs. After placing their gifts under the tree, they went back up to their room and picked up the kitten and all the things that went with it. The kitten, which Ron had nicknamed 'Blondie', was sleeping soundly in one corner of its box. Ron carried it downstairs, with Harry carrying the basket and other things. They had wrapped up the box with the kitten in it, so apart from the holes in the side it looked like a normal present. When they got down to the Living room again, Daphne and Hermione were also there, looking through the different presents under the tree. Hermione and Daphne grinned when they staggered in with the presents. "Merry Christmas!" They said simultaneously. Ron and Harry put down the presents on the sofa and collapsed down next to them. It hadn't been easy, carrying them down three flights of steps. "Merry Christmas." They said to the girls. "Wow. Who are they for?" Daphne asked, eyeing the large boxes in surprise. Hermione grinned again. "You." She said happily. Daphne gaped at her. "Me? Really?" She asked in surprise. Harry and Ron nodded, and Hermione smiled cheerfully. "Yep. They're from the three of us." She said as her parents and Luke came in to rounds of more "Merry Christmas!" shouts. Once they were all settled down, everyone tried to decide where to start opening presents. But as everyone could see that Daphne was dying to know what Harry, Ron and Hermione had got her, they let her open hers first. Ron placed the kitten box on the floor next to her. "Knock yourself out." He said, sitting back and yawning. Daphne eagerly ripped the paper off of the lid. That done, she carefully took the lid off. She gasped loudly. "Oh my God!" She cried. Just as she had done a few days before, 'Blondie' stuck her head over the top of the box and peered up at Daphne, who was almost crying. For all her tough exterior, Daphne really was a big softy. She bent down and gently picked up the kitten. "Oh, it's so cute! Oh- oh! Thank you!" She said, looking up at her cousin and Ron and Harry. Daphne scratched the kitten's head, making her close her eyes and purr quietly. She grinned. "Does it have a name?" She asked Hermione. Ron answered for her. "Blondie." He said.  
  
Daphne looked scandalised. "You can't call it that! That's a horrible name for a kitten!" She exclaimed. Ron shrugged. "Why? She's blond." He said carelessly. Daphne frowned and Harry spoke up. "I've got an idea. How about Cowidgeon? Then you could call her Cow." He said with a grin. He and Ron burst out laughing at the look of horror on Daphne's face. Hermione smiled and turned to Daphne. "How about Annor?" She asked, reaching out to stroke Cowidgeon-Blondie. Daphne smiled. "That's a good idea actually. It suits her." She said, looking down at the kitten. Harry frowned. "Annor? Where'd you get that?" He asked curiously. Hermione smiled. "It's Sandrin for 'Sunshine'." She said. "The language of the Elves in the Lord of the Rings." She added, seeing the look of confusion on her friends' faces. Ron and Harry were still pretty confused, but decided against pursuing the subject any further. After the unwrapping of Annor, who was enjoying all the attention she was getting, unceremonious present unwrapping followed. Everyone opened all his or her presents within about fifteen minutes, and soon there was paper everywhere. Harry got a miniature Quidditch field model from Hermione, and a book written by a former England Quidditch captain who had been Gryffindor Seeker/Captain when at Hogwarts from Ron, "something to aim for." He told him jokingly. Harry also got a box of chocolate frogs from Daphne, and mince pies and a Weasley jumper from Mrs Weasley, (this year a red one with a golden snitch on it that was charmed to fly around on the jumper). Hermione not only got her necklace from Harry and Ron, but also a charm bracelet from Daphne, her own batch of mince pies and a Weasley jumper from Mrs Weasley, (her one was navy blue with silver thread at the cuffs and collar), and lots of presents from her parents, mainly clothes. Ron got a Chudley Cannons Fan club magazine subscription from Harry, a book by a Quidditch player condemning football called 'The sport of Idiots' from Hermione, chocolate frogs from Daphne, and numerous presents and clothes from his parents, mainly maroon. Ron didn't complain- he had lost the heart for it after almost sixteen years. Once all the presents were finally opened, everyone sat back and relaxed. They were interrupted, however, by a loud tapping at the window. It was Hedwig, who was struggling to stay still in the air while carrying a large box tied to her leg. Harry jumped up and opened the window for his pet owl, which had been sent off to Hogwarts the day before with presents for Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Ron's present for Ginny. Hedwig flew in and Harry immediately untied the box so that she could have a rest. She gave a hoot of thanks and settled down on the mantelpiece. Harry opened the box with interest, to find a fair amount of wrapped presents, and some letters. There were two presents each for Ron and Hermione, which he threw over to them. Then there were two more presents for him, and two letters as well. He opened the letters first, and read them out. "Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione, Ha, ha, very funny. Remus loved his joke book, by the way, but I've now been subjected to Doctor Doctor monster jokes for the past hour. You will pay when you get back to school- I've been practising how to make a cupful of water disappear using just a piece of paper, and I've managed to drench Remus so don't think you're safe. Remus wants to write something now, so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!" Harry paused and looked up at everyone, who was listening with interest. The handwriting had changed. "Hi you three! Merry Christmas! Thanks for our presents, we hope you like yours. Harry, we might as well tell you now, that yours is a photo. Sorry to spoil the surprise. Anyway, I found it when I was sorting through some of my things, and I remembered your Dad telling me about it ages ago. I think it will make you laugh. The story behind it is that the August after your first birthday the Ministry had a summer picnic to try and raise spirits. Obviously it was held in secret. Your Mum and Dad took you along. Anyway, the other kid in the photo stole one of your toys and you started crying. The kid was about four months older than you, the big bully. He got a bit worried when you started crying though, so your Mum tried to calm you both down, and your Dad took a picture. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas! Remus and Sirius." Harry put down the letter and looked up at his friends, who were watching him expectantly. Harry shrugged at them and picked up the present that had 'To Harry, from R and S' on it. It was obviously a frame. Harry unwrapped it eagerly and looked at it with interest. It was daylight in the picture, outside somewhere in a field. There were lots of people walking around in the background, whom were all smiling tiredly. At the front of the picture, on a bench, sat his Mum, Lily Potter, with Harry on her lap. Harry was crying bitterly, his face bright red and screwed up tightly. As Harry watched, his younger photographic self drew in a deep breath and let out a fresh howl of dismay. Harry thought he looked like a squashed tomato, and was about to share this opinion with his friends when his eyes fell on the boy sitting next to his mother on the bench. He looked a few months older than Harry, and very discomforted. He was shifting in his seat uneasily and watching Harry cry. Lily had her other arm around him and was smiling down at them both. Harry stared at the boy in disbelief. It was Ron. Harry burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. He tried to stop, but he couldn't. Not when he saw what Ron had stolen from him. A furry purple spider. Harry held out the picture helplessly to Ron, who was watching him laugh bemusedly. Ron took the picture from Harry, and looked down at it. The first thing he saw was baby Harry, crying with all his might. Then he saw the other toddler on the bench and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He looked over at Harry, who was still laughing but had calmed down a bit. But when Ron looked at him he just started laughing again. Ron started laughing as well, and Hermione snatched the picture off of him. She stared at it. "You didn't tell me you had met before!" She accused. Ron and Harry shrugged. "We didn't know." They said simultaneously, starting to laugh again. Hermione grinned. "Well, you weren't scared of spiders then, were you Ron?" She said with a wink, making Harry laugh even harder. "What?" Ron said, snatching the picture back. His eyes widened when he saw the toy he had nicked and he laughed again. "I guess not." He said with a shrug. Daphne grinned. "You're scared of spiders?" She said with a giggle. Ron glared at her but didn't answer. Daphne giggled again. "Well, you should face your fear." She said with a decisive nod. Harry, Ron and Hermione snorted. "I think he's already done that." Harry said, with a knowing look in Ron's direction. Daphne frowned. "What do you mean?" She asked. Ron grimaced. "I'd rather not talk about it actually." He said testily. Harry and Hermione were already ripping the paper off of their other presents, and so Ron joined in as well. From Hagrid, the three of them received home-made rock cakes and treacle fudge, (which they hastily put to one side), and Ron also got a new quill and an unbreakable inkpot from Remus and Sirius, while Hermione received a new quill and a pad full of parchments that adjusted themselves to be as long as what you wrote on them was. This was a good thing for Hermione, whose homework was always at least three feet longer than everyone else's. When they had finished unwrapping the presents, Harry suddenly remembered he had another letter to open. He picked it up and read it out loud. "Dear Mr Potter. Merry Christmas! Your gift was very unexpected, but very much appreciated. I am surprised you remembered. Please give my warmest regards to Mr Weasley and both the Miss Grangers. Enjoy the rest of your holidays. Albus Dumbledore. P.S. I have secretly added ten points to Gryffindor, as a Christmas present to you all. You are now ahead of Ravenclaw by three points. Merry Christmas." Harry grinned as Ron, Hermione and Daphne started laughing again.  
  
~*~  
  
A few hours later the five Grangers and two guests sat in the living Room playing Charades while they waited for Joanne's mother to arrive. Hermione had already told Harry and Ron that Mrs Phillips knew about Hogwarts because she had happened to be in the room when Hermione had first received her Hogwarts letter. According to Hermione, her Grandmother was thrilled that Hermione was a witch, and took particular interest in everything she could tell her about Hogwarts. As soon as she had heard that Harry and Ron were coming to stay, she had insisted on visiting so that she could meet them both. Hermione said it was because she had told her Grandmother so much about them, but Daphne told them what she called the 'real' reason for her wanting to meet them: "She wants to assess you both." She told them with a wink. "She gave Viktor a run for his money, I can tell you. She didn't like him, you could tell. It was because he was always so polite to her; she hates it when people act false. She was still nice to him though. Anyway, it'll seem like she's just being friendly, but really she'll be checking to see if you're good enough to be socialising with her only grandchild, and probably whether either of you could be possible future in- laws. But don't worry," she said, holding up her hands as Harry and Ron started to interrupt her. "It's only because she thinks that Hermione's in danger going to a mixed school- before Hogwarts she was all set to go to a girl's convent school in North London. Anyway- act natural and you'll be fine. She's actually really nice." And with that, Daphne flounced away, leaving Harry and Ron feeling like they were about to go on trial for crimes they hadn't committed. Ben was in the middle of trying to act out the play 'Much Ado About Nothing', with which he wasn't having much luck, when the doorbell rang. Hermione grinned and ran to open it; everyone else could hear what was going on in the doorway. "Hermione! How's my princess?" An elderly voice said. They heard Hermione giggling. "I'm great." She replied. They heard the sounds of a coat being removed. "So, where are they?" Mrs Phillips' voice demanded. Hermione replied: "Who?" "Who? Who? Harry and Ron of course. That's why I'm here after all." Her Grandmother said. "In the Living Room." Answered Hermione. "O.K. then. Let me get this straight though- Harry's got black hair and glasses and Ron's tall with red hair? Am I right?" Mrs Phillips said. "Yep. You got it." Hermione replied. At this point, Mrs Phillips appeared at the door. She was very short and plump with silvery hair and a stern but kind face. She looked old, but had the same sort of young energy that Dumbledore always seemed to possess. She walked in the room and smiled at Harry, who was sitting opposite the door and in her line of sight. "Hi there. You must be Ron." She said cheerfully. Harry didn't know whether it was a joke or not, but realised it was when Daphne clapped her hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing. Mrs Phillips suddenly grinned. "I'm just joking. Nice to meet you Harry. Well, stand up, let me get a look at you." She ordered. Harry stood up. He was only about a centimetre taller than her. She smiled again. "Just my height. Perfect. Don't grow anymore." She said with a wink. Harry grinned as she turned to Ron. "Hello Ron. Well, stand up as well then." Ron glanced at Harry and stood up as well. He towered over Mrs Phillips, and she blinked. "Sit down again. It hurts my neck just looking at you." She said sternly. Ron sat down quickly, though he couldn't help smiling. Mrs Phillips frowned at them both. "Do you two talk?" She asked. Daphne spoke up from the other side of the room. "They do, but they don't know how to respond when an old woman comes in and starts giving them orders." She said calmly. Harry and Ron gaped at her. Mrs Phillips placed her hands on her hips and glared at Daphne. "Who're calling old?" She demanded. Daphne glared back at her. "You." She said coolly. Mrs Phillips suddenly smiled. "Good to see you Daphne. How've you been?" She asked kindly. Daphne smiled. "Great. I've just got back from my first term at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You may have heard of it." She said with a shrug. Harry and Ron watched as Hermione's Grandmother's face went from a look of cheerfulness to look of absolute shock. She obviously hadn't been expecting a thing like that. She looked round at Hermione, who nodded and laughed. She turned back to Daphne with a grin on her face. "Well, what house are you in?" she demanded, sitting down on the sofa next to Ron. Daphne grinned as well. "Gryffindor." She said. Mrs Phillips' face fell. "That's a shame. All the worst people are in that one." She said seriously. Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry and Ron. "Ignore her. She thinks she's funny." She told them. Mrs Phillips frowned at Hermione. "Who's she? The cat's mother?" She said sternly. Hermione shrugged and sat down again as her mother decided to speak up. "Hello Mother." Joanne said sarcastically. Mrs Phillips waved her hand vaguely in Joanne's direction. "Hello Joanne. So." She said, turning to Ron. "I want to hear everything about growing up as a Wizard." Ron raised his eyebrows. "Um." He said stupidly. Mrs Phillips rolled her eyes. "Alright. I'll ask questions, you answer. When did you first do magic?" Ron smiled. "When I was a few months old. I turned my brother's glass of milk into blue slime when he wouldn't let me have any." He said. Mrs Phillips grinned. "Oh, so you do talk. Which brother?" She asked. Ron grinned as well. "Percy." He said. Mrs Phillips nodded and turned to Harry. "What about you?" She asked. Harry thought back. Of course, he had never really thought about it, but he supposed it was when. "Well." He said slowly. "I don't know if it was the first time, but from what I can remember it was when I turned a tennis ball Dudley was playing with into a hedgehog. I was five." He answered, with a shrug. Ron started laughing at this, and Harry and Hermione did as well. Mrs Phillips smiled. "So what do you think of Muggles Ron?" She asked suddenly. Ron stared at her for a moment- wondering how to answer a question like that. Then he smiled. "Well, I think we should kill the whole lot of them personally." He said casually. Harry nodded in agreement. "Hear, hear!" He said with a grin. Hermione and Daphne started to laugh as Mrs Phillips glared at them both. "Well. I'm going to the toilet. Excuse me." She said, standing up abruptly and walking out of the room. Ron and Harry would have felt worried, but Hermione and Daphne were still laughing. When Mrs Phillips had closed the door behind her, Joanne and Ben suddenly broke into a small round of applause, catching Harry and Ron off-guard. Joanne grinned. "Well done you two. You're doing well." She said, looking impressed. Ben nodded. "Yep. Very well done." He said. Ron and Harry looked over at Hermione for an explanation. She grinned as well. "She's always really falsely nice to the people she doesn't like, but as you can see there was none of that, and that means she likes you." She said. Harry frowned. "Why is she nice to the people she doesn't like?" He asked in confusion. Ron looked just as baffled. Hermione shrugged. "So that they *think* she likes them. It's very simple really." She said airily. "And the people she isn't bothered about she just ignores mainly." Ben said from the other side of the room, grinning. "I fall into that category." He added with an unconcerned shrug. "Me too." Luke said quietly. Ben nodded. "Yeah. She just ignores us." He said. Ron and Harry nodded slowly, though they were still a little confused. They didn't have time to ponder for too long though, because at that moment Mrs Phillips walked back in with a grin on her face. "Did I give you all enough time to discuss me, or would you like me to go and re-wash my hands?" She asked offhandedly. Ron and Harry started laughing at this candid question, and she also joined in- with a tinkling laugh that sounded like a chicken being tickled. Mrs Phillips sat back down next to Ron and rubbed her hands together. "So Joanne, when will dinner be?" She asked her daughter. Joanne folded her arms. "Oh, so you do know I'm in the room, do you?" She asked stiffly. You could tell by her slight smile that she wasn't really angry though. Mrs Phillips frowned. "Of course I know you're here. Do you think I'm going senile in my old age or something?" She said threateningly. Joanne rolled her eyes. "That happened in middle age, mother dearest. And dinner will be ready in half an hour." She stood up and headed for the kitchen door. "Try not to terrorise our guests too much while I get it ready." She said, ruffling her mother's hair as she walked past her. Mrs Phillips batted her hand away. "Don't patronise me girl!" She called out after Joanne as she disappeared through the door. "I can remember when you had nappy rash!" She added viciously. Joanne reappeared in the doorway and blew her mother a kiss. Mrs Phillips narrowed her eyes dangerously as her daughter disappeared again. Mrs Phillips spent the next five minutes firing questions at Hermione about her schoolwork. It was obvious she was interested in all kinds of magic and, judging by what she asked, mainly the History. Hermione answered every question, mentioning things that Harry and Ron were positive they had never learnt in the classroom. Big surprise there. After a while Mrs Phillips started asking Ron more questions about growing up in the Wizarding world- from his family to his education. She seemed particularly interested in the Burrow. At one point, Ron called her Mrs Phillips and she rolled her eyes. "Call me Gammy, everyone does. Anyway, how many gnomes are there in your garden then?" She asked. Ron thought about it- he'd never been asked that before. In the end he answered "Between thirty and fifty. Though once we counted a hundred on one de-gnoming session. Why?" He asked, his curiosity about her curiosity getting the better of him. Gammy grinned. (A/N- Isn't Gammy sooooooooo much better than Mrs Phillips?) "Well, Hermione likes your house so much, I wanted to know why." She said, nodding towards her Granddaughter, who was steadily turning a nice shade of magenta. Ron looked over at Hermione. "You do? Why?" He asked curiously. Hermione shot an icy look at her Grandmother, who was obviously thoroughly enjoying her embarrassment. "Well, I'm not sure exactly." She said quietly. Ron frowned. "I hate my house." He said, sounding surprise that other people didn't. Hermione and Harry were genuinely shocked by his declaration. "Your house is brilliant." Harry said earnestly. Ron looked over at Harry. "Why?" He asked, completely at sea. Harry looked over at Hermione for help. "Well, it's because, I think it's mainly because of the.no, it's the.I don't know why, but it just is." He stammered hopelessly. Ron nodded. "Right, well that it explains it." He said sarcastically. Hermione shrugged. "He's right. But there's something about your house that just makes you feel at home straight away." She said. Ron shrugged again, his ears slightly pink from what Harry assumed was pride. He was spared further awkwardness by a sharp tapping sound on the window. It was Hedwig- whom Harry had sent off earlier with another package. Harry once again jumped up and opened the window for his owl, who swooped in and dropped a package at his feet, landing on the mantelpiece. Gammy gasped. "What a beautiful owl!" She said in wonder. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Gammy, you've seen Hedwig before." She said. Gammy shrugged. "She's still a beautiful owl though." She said fondly. Hedwig ruffled her feathers proudly, making Harry laugh. "You're spoiling her." He said, picking up the package she had delivered. It had a letter sellotaped to it. Harry sat back down to open the package, which was wrapped in brightly coloured Christmas paper. He ripped off the paper and started to laugh. He held up the present for his friends to see. It was a party pack of Mars bars. Harry grinned. "They're my favourite Muggle sweet. I haven't had one in about six years." He said. "Funny, 'coz I bought Dudley a pack of Fizzing Whizzbees and Drooble's gum." He added, peeling the letter off of the paper. He shook it open and read it:  
  
Merry Christmas Harry Thanks for the sweets- and for telling me the Fizzing Whizzbees make you float- mum and dad will never forgive me, I ate one in the kitchen! I'm still floating as I write this in fact, so thanks a heap. (In case you can't tell, I'm being sarcastic). Anyway, I finally made it on to the football team, I'm a striker, and I've already scored ten goals this term. Congratulations on being made Quidditch captain and beating Slytherin, and tell Ron well done for only letting in one goal. Have a great New Year and say hi to everyone else for me. Dudley  
  
Ron grinned as Harry finished reading the letter out. "Can I try one of those things? I've never had a Muggle sweet." He asked Harry. Harry nodded and opened the bag, offering them round to everyone. Ron tried the chocolate and looked truly surprised when he found that he liked them. Gammy was also looking very surprised. "Since when do you and Dudley send each other presents?" She asked curiously. Harry assumed that Hermione had told her Grandmother about the Dursleys, and so said nothing about it. He shrugged. "We patched things up this summer- he's alright really." He said. "Ron and Hermione met him at Diagon Alley." He added, nodding at his friends. Gammy turned to Hermione in surprise. "And why wasn't I told?" She demanded. Hermione grinned. "You didn't ask." She said offhandedly. Gammy let out a small 'humph!' as Joanne came back into the living room. "Dinner is served." She announced in a posh serving voice that made Daphne giggle. And so everyone went in to the dining room and ate lunch, still answering to questions fired in every direction by Gammy.  
  
~*~  
  
"Well, she's gone." Hermione said, collapsing onto the sofa next to Daphne. Harry grinned. "You sound relieved." He said. Hermione shrugged. "I love Gammy, but she does get a little, how do I put this, -tiring." She said, closing her eyes. Joanne and Ben were sitting in the back garden, where they had an electric heater, and Luke had gone to a friend's house for a Christmas party. It was only eight in the evening, but everyone was pretty wiped. However, unable to even concede the thought of going to bed so early, they turned on the TV and got out the Granger's chess set, Harry and Hermione both hoping that the lifelessness of the pieces would throw Ron off and help them to win. Daphne had never seen a game of chess played by Ron, or played with him, and so didn't know why the two of them were watching him so closely as he picked up the white queen. "So how are you meant to move them?" He asked dubiously. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, you usually pick them up and place them on another square." She told him slowly. Ron put the piece back down and rubbed his hands together. "OK, I'm in. but I do have my chess set upstairs, can't we just-" "No." Harry and Hermione said together, making Ron sit down opposite Harry. Hermione wasn't very good at chess, and so had no problem letting Harry play first. Daphne looked on with very little interest. Harry was white, so he moved first. Ron was playing properly up until his third go, when he began to say "Bishop to D-" realised what he was doing, and moved the piece himself. Harry was on his tenth go and getting confident, because Ron was staring at the board with a baffled look on his face. He and Hermione had been right- it was throwing him. Harry moved his tower three spaces to the left. Ron looked up at Harry with a frown on his face, and then down at the board. He moved his queen diagonally two spaces ad sighed. "Checkmate." He said, his baffled look being replaced by his usual superior chess-grin. Harry stared at the board, and then gawped at Ron. He had been bluffing! Why the cheating little. Hermione threw her hands up in the air. "That's it! I give up!" She said hopelessly. Ron sat back in his chair and smiled. "Sorry." He said, not sounding sorry at all. Daphne was even more confused now. "What's the big deal?" She asked. Harry began to put the pieces away. "In five years, Ron has beaten me and Herm at every game of chess we've ever played." He told her. Ron grinned. "Do you know how many times I've beaten you now Harry?" He asked. Harry glared at him. "Do you?" He asked. Ron nodded. "Seven hundred and one times." He said carelessly. Harry gawped at him again. "You kept count?" He said incredulously. Ron shrugged. "That's not the point." He said, holding out his hand. "The point is you owe me a galleon." He said. Harry frowned, and then his face cleared as he remembered. "I completely forgot about that bet." He said. Hermione laughed. "I remember that! You said the first one to five hundred, didn't you?" She asked Ron, who nodded. "Yeah, but I decided to let him off. But as I'm now over seven hundred, I think it's only fair if he coughs up." He said, grinning at Harry, who was glaring at him again.  
  
Will Harry ever beat Ron? (Probably not.) Please r/r. 


	17. The Nightmares After Christmas part 1

Ok, here's the deal. I know I said (very stupidly) that I hoped to have this finished by, well, now, but the truth is it won't be. Not a chance. It is now Friday night, and on Saturday I'm flying to Australia for 6 weeks. Anyway, back to the story. This chapter was going to be very, very, VERY long, so I split it right down where I thought the middle would be. Therefore, there is now 'the nightmares after Christmas part 1' and the nightmares after Christmas, yep, you guessed it, part 2. Part 2 isn't quite finished yet, but I hope to get it uploaded by Saturday. I'm determined to do loads of writing this summer, only trouble is, I won't have a computer to use. Enjoy the chapter and the summer y'all!  
  
Chapter 17- The Nightmares after Christmas part 1.  
  
Hermione, Daphne, Ron and Harry spent the rest of the evening lazing around in front of the TV, watching a daft Christmas special and pigging out on the sweets they had received as Christmas presents. By ten they were all feeling very drowsy, and Hermione was just about to suggest that they all go to bed when she discovered Harry and Ron had already beaten them to it- they were both fast asleep. Hermione nudged Daphne in the ribs and pointed at her friends. Daphne grinned. "Should we wake them up?" She suggested wickedly. Hermione frowned. "Don't be so cruel." She said sternly, causing Daphne to grin even wider. "I was only joking cuz." She said reassuringly, biting into another chocolate frog. Hermione settled back into the sofa to continue watching the film on the TV, feeling full, happy, a bit sleepy but mostly very content. The feeling didn't last long. Hermione and Daphne jumped slightly in surprise as Harry suddenly grabbed the arm of the chair he was sitting on, his eyes tightly shut and his head turned to one side as if he was avoiding watching something. Daphne slowly put down her box of frogs. "Harry's having a nightmare." She said worriedly to no one in particular. Hermione paled as Harry's head turn in every direction frantically. "Oh no." She whispered. Daphne frowned at her cousin's response. After all, it was only a nightmare. "We should wake him up." She said, taking a step towards Harry. Hermione grabbed Daphne's arm and pulled her back down onto the sofa. "No! Don't you dare!" She cried in alarm. Daphne sat frozen at the look of worry and alertness on Hermione's face. And she had never spoken to her like that before. Blinking rapidly, she looked around the room for something to focus on apart from the shaking Harry or the look on her cousin's face. Her eyes fell on Ron, and widened. Ron was shaking as well. Daphne's eyes darted between the two boys, the anxious feeling in her stomach growing by the second. Harry was sitting bolt upright in his chair, breathing rapidly. Ron seemed to be in far more distress. He was shaking his head and struggling violently, as if something was pulling him back. Hermione suddenly realised that Ron was also having a nightmare and turned, if possible, even paler. "Ron?" She said quietly, as Ron continued to thrash about. Suddenly, Ron started to shake his head even more, crying out. "No! No!" He shouted frantically. Hermione stood up unsteadily, torn between her two friends. "No! No!" Ron yelled again, flailing about even more. "No- GINNY!" And with that, Ron's eyes flew open and he sat up straight, looking around wildly. Hermione gaped at him as Ron's breathing began to return to normal. He swallowed hard, rubbing the back of his neck, his ears turning pink. "Ron?" Hermione repeated shakily, as Ron turned to look at her. "Er, sorry, I- Harry!" Ron jumped to his feet as Harry fell onto the floor in front of his chair, clutching his scar and yelling loudly. Hermione spun around frantically and she and Ron fell to their knees next to Harry at the same moment, afraid to touch him or try and wake him up. A couple of seconds later, Harry's eyes flew open and he rolled over onto his side, his hands still pressed on his scar. Hermione and Ron glanced at each other anxiously and then back at Harry. "Harry?" Ron said worriedly. Harry gradually lowered his hands. His eyes were open wide and filled with tears of pain from his scar. "Are you OK?" Hermione asked quietly as Harry sat up slowly. He looked at Hermione, then at Ron, and then down at the floor. "I-" Harry didn't finish his sentence- instead he jumped to his feet so suddenly that it startled Ron and Hermione into falling backwards. Harry was pacing back and forth by the time Hermione and Ron stood up, muttering under his breath. "Hedwig and Pig would be too slow, I can't apparate, but you can't do that inside Hogwarts grounds anyway. does Floo powder work? Probably not, that'd be too easy to attack by, so I'll have to go somewhere else, but where? Oh God, what do I do? I." Harry suddenly stopped pacing and turned to face Ron. "Ron, do you have any Floo powder?" He asked. Ron was startled by the question, but answered as quickly as he could. "Er, yeah. Upstairs in my trunk. I'll go and get it." He said, starting towards the door, but Harry stopped him. "No time." He said, pulling out his wand. Hermione gasped. "Harry, you can't." She protested weakly. Harry ignored her. "Accio Floo powder." He said, waving his wand slightly. He looked over at Hermione grimly. "I don't think anyone will mind after I save Fudge's life." He said. Hermione swallowed hard. The Minister for Magic was obviously in danger, and right now Harry was the only one who could help him. She whipped out her wand as the Floo powder bag came flying into the room, pointed it at the empty fireplace, and immediately bluebell flames flared in the grate. Ron stepped forward as Harry reached into the leather pouch he was holding. "Harry, where are you going?" He asked. Harry didn't answer; Ron doubted whether he had actually been heard. Instead Harry stepped up to fire, threw some of the glittering powder onto it, stepped onto the now emerald flames and yelled "The Burrow!" He disappeared. Ron barely waited two seconds before doing the same thing. Hermione stood undecided as he also vanished from sight. Finally making up her mind, she also grabbed the Floo powder. "Hermione?" Hermione jumped and spun around. She had completely forgotten that Daphne was still in the room. "What's going on?" Daphne demanded, looking very shaken. Hermione threw some powder onto the fire. "Daphne, I'll explain everything when we get back. But just stay here, OK? I'll be back soon." And with that Hermione stepped into the flames, yelled "The Burrow!" and also vanished. Daphne stood in front of the sofa with her mouth open, watching as the flames turned blue again. Harry and Hermione had both used magic in the holidays, which was against the school rules. For Hermione to do such a thing, something very bad must have happened. And what was 'The Burrow' anyway? Daphne had always been a very curious person, and right now it was killing her. With her heart in her throat, she reached for the small leather pouch that lay abandoned on the coffee table. Taking a pinch of the glittering powder, she threw it onto the blue flames, and took an involuntary step back as they turned green and roared higher. Cursing herself for being such a scaredy-cat, Daphne gingerly reached out a hand towards the fire. She hadn't expected it to be hot, after all she had just watched three different people step into the flames and not be burned alive. It was warm, like warm breath actually, like standing next to a radiator on a cold day. Daphne stepped fully into the fireplace, ducking so as to not hit her head. Inside, she straightened up fully. Taking a deep breath she yelled out what her cousin and her two best friends had just done, and prayed that it would turn out right. "The Burrow!" Daphne's first reaction was that everything had gone terribly wrong. She started to spin around very fast, and immediately hit both her elbows on the sides of the grate. She tucked them into her sides and shut her eyes tightly so she didn't have to watch the blurred shapes in front of her. She could feel all the sweets she had eaten churning inside of her, so she kept her mouth shut tight as well. A few seconds later, (though it seemed like hours to Daphne) she felt herself slowing down, and she dared to open her eyes. She saw another blurred shape in font of her that looked very strangely like different rooms in different houses. She suddenly came to a shuddering halt and immediately felt herself being thrown forward out of the fireplace. Daphne landed on her hands and knees in front of the fireplace, in a strange room and in a lot of pain. Her elbows and knees were aching, and she could feel grazes on her hands. "Ow!" She cried as she sat back, inspecting the cuts on her palms. They weren't too bad though, so she looked up, and found herself staring straight at a wand. "Who are you?" Daphne swallowed and looked up at the owner of the wand. He was tall, with dark red hair and wearing horn-rimmed glasses. And he looked pretty dazed, but alert and irritated. Daphne didn't know what to say. "I, er." She started, but thankfully she didn't need to continue. "Daphne!" Daphne looked up at the sound of the familiar voice to see Fred Weasley standing in the doorway of the room she was in. Daphne felt very relieved to see him. She really liked Fred and George- they were very funny and had both taken a great liking to Daphne, because she found their pranks hilarious and willingly tried their toffees and other sweets. The person who was pointing a wand at her lowered his hand and frowned at Fred. "Do you know this girl?" He asked suspiciously. Fred rolled his eyes. "Calm down Perce, it's only Daphne. She's Hermione's cousin." He said, taking a step into the room. George suddenly appeared behind his twin. "Hi Daphne. Jeez, what did you do to her Percy?" He asked with a grin. 'Percy' folded his arms indignantly. "I have done absolutely nothing to her, she just arrived by way of Floo powder, and I merely." "Yeah yeah." Fred said with a shrug. "Come on Daph, everyone else is in the living room." Daphne stood up achingly as Percy stomped out of the door past the twins. Daphne looked around the room- it was apparently a kitchen, but the strangest kitchen she had ever been in. "Where are we?" Daphne asked timidly. George grinned. "Welcome," he said, "to the Burrow. Home of the Weasleys." Daphne's eyes widened. "This is your house?" She asked curiously. Fred and George nodded as she followed them into the hallway. "Yep. Why did you get here so late after everyone else?" Asked George curiously. Daphne shrugged. "They didn't know I was coming after them. Hermione told me to stay behind." She answered truthfully. Fred grinned. "Well you couldn't miss out on all the fun, could you?" He said as they reached another door, through which frantic voices could be heard. "Come on." George whispered as they stepped inside. The small living room was packed with people. Not only Ron, Hermione and Harry, but also Percy, two other red-haired men, and two people who could only be Ron's Mum and Dad. Harry was speaking very fast to Mr Weasley, who was looking very worried. Percy's face had a greenish twinge to it, and Ron and Hermione were also looking quite sick. Mrs Weasley was sitting in a chair, watching Harry anxiously. None of them noticed they had entered the room. ".So then he said something about Hogwarts to that snake, and I could understand it because, you know, and then my scar started to burn and it woke me up." Harry finished. Mr Weasley sighed heavily and scratched his balding head, turning to one of the red-haired men, whom Daphne assumed were Ron's older brothers. "Bill, go straight to Hogwarts and tell Dumbledore. Percy, Charlie, we're going to have to go to Fudge's house. I just hope we're not too late." He said warily. Percy and the one called Bill nodded and stood up at once. Bill nodded to Harry, Ron and Hermione, and then with a flick of his wand, disappeared into thin air. Meanwhile, Mr Weasley was doing something to the living room fire. Suddenly, a head appeared in the fire, and Daphne had to cover her mouth to prevent a scream. Not only was there a head in the fire, (that was enough to freak anyone out) but also it was the most hideous head she had ever seen. It had scars over every inch of it, the nose was so crooked it didn't seem real, and the eyes were different sizes and colours. However, the head didn't seem to be harmed, even though flames were licking its ears. "What can I do for you Arthur?" The head said in a low, growling voice. Mr Weasley knelt down in front of the fire. "Harry's here- he had another dream and believes that Fudge could be in danger. We're going to need back up at his house." He said quickly. The head in the fire was looking extremely grave. "Right. I'll get Arabella and Fletcher. We'll meet you there." He said. Mr Weasley nodded. "Thanks Alastor." He said, and with that the head in the fire disappeared. Mr Weasley turned around to face his family. "Well, we'd better-" "Daphne!" Hermione gasped as she spotted her cousin, and Daphne suddenly found the entire room staring at her. Hermione was glaring at her angrily. "Hello Hermione." She said hopefully. Hermione stopped glaring and rolled her eyes. "I should have known you'd follow us anyway. Did you hurt yourself?" She asked more gently. Daphne shrugged. "Only my knees, hands and elbows." She said dismissively. Hermione smiled weakly. "Everyone, this is my cousin Daphne Granger. Daphne, this is Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ron's parents, in case you hadn't realised. And these are his brothers, Percy and Charlie. Bill just left." She said, pointing them out as she said their names. Mrs Weasley stood up and smiled at Daphne. "Hello dear. It's nice to meet you, though it could have been under happier circumstances." She said with a sigh. Mr Weasley also smiled at Daphne, though he looked very strained. "Well, come on boys, we'd better go." He said heavily. At this point, Harry held up his hand. "You, you're not going to his house, are you?" He asked disbelievingly. Charlie also stood up, pulling out his wand. "What else are we going to do?" He asked Harry. Harry opened his mouth to answer, and then closed it again with a frown. Mr Weasley placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry- we'll be fine. You did the right thing." He said. And with that, he disapparated. Percy and Charlie barely had time to wave goodbye to their mother before doing the same thing. Harry flopped down onto one of the sofas crammed into the room, with his head in his hands as if trying to force something out of his head. Ron sat down in front of him on one of the armchairs. "Don't worry Harry. You've done your bit now- there's only so much you can do after all." He said quietly. When Harry didn't respond, Hermione sat down next to him on the sofa. "Ron's right." She said encouragingly. "All we can do now is wait." Harry grumbled something, but Ron and Hermione couldn't hear what he said. "Pardon?" Hermione asked. Harry lowered his hands. "I hate waiting." He repeated bitterly. "We all do dear." Mrs Weasley said, bustling back into the room. No one had noticed she had left in the first place. She was now carrying a tray with a large, steaming teapot on it, six mugs, and a small bottle of pink liquid. Mrs Weasley placed the tray on the table and poured drinks into all of the mugs, which turned out to be hot chocolate, not tea. She handed them round to everyone and then turned to Daphne. "Sit down my dear." She said kindly, nodding to a large red armchair. Daphne did as she was told, gratefully settling down into the comfortable lounger. Mrs Weasley sat down on the table next to her. "I'll clean up those cuts for you, OK?" She said, picking up the bottle of pink liquid and pouring some of it onto a cloth. Daphne held out her hands, and Mrs Weasley put the cloth onto the cuts and grazes. Red smoke rose from the cloth, even though Daphne wasn't feeling any pain, and when Mrs Weasley took the cloth away, the cuts had disappeared. Daphne grinned. "Thanks Mrs Weasley." She said with a smile. Mrs Weasley smiled back. "You're welcome." She said kindly, staring at Daphne. "You know," she said, cocking her head to one side. "You really look like Hermione." Daphne faked a look of horror. "Don't say that!" She said. Hermione glared at her from across the room, and Daphne waved at her sarcastically. Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes and stood up, trying to hide her laughter. Daphne held her mug in her cold, cupped hands, and stared around the living room. It was small, but full of chairs of all shaped and sizes. There was a large mantelpiece, on top of which stood seven pictures in frames, one for each of the Weasley children. Daphne caught sight of the one of Ron, and struggled not to laugh. He was about the same age as in the picture Remus had sent to Harry that morning, and in this one he was repeatedly trying to mount a broomstick that was much too large for him and falling off awkwardly. Daphne continued to gaze around the room, taking in the other, larger, family photos that hung on the walls and the magical instruments and books that stood on shelves, surfaces and in piles on the floor. Her eyes fell on a large Grandfather clock in the corner, and she stared harder. It was amazing- there were seven hands, and each had a name of a family member on it. They were mostly pointing at different points, and each of these points were not numbers. 'Molly', whom Daphne assumed was Mrs Weasley, 'Fred' 'George' and 'Ron' were all pointing to 'Home'. 'Ginny', the smallest hand, was pointing at 'Bed'. 'Bill' was pointing at 'In a meeting', and finally 'Arthur' 'Charlie' and 'Percy' were pointing at 'Mortal Peril'. Daphne swallowed hard and looked across the room to where her cousin sat talking quietly to Harry and Ron with a serious look on her face, deciding not to point out the clock to everyone else. Daphne tuned her ears in to what the trio, (as she always thought of them) were saying. "But what if they're outnumbered?" Harry was saying. "The Deatheaters could." "There's not much we can do about that, is there. So we should try to stop worrying." Hermione said, looking sombre. Ron sat back, looking sceptical. "That could be quite hard." He said logically. Hermione shrugged helplessly. "I know. But we have to try. And we have to trust them all." "But what if they." Harry began, but Hermione silenced him with an angry look. "Can we please not talk about it? Thank you." She said annoyed. Daphne sighed. She knew her cousin well enough to know that she was deeply worried about Ron's father and brothers, but this was just her way of dealing with not being able to do anything to help. Hermione turned to Ron, obviously hoping to change the subject. "So what was your nightmare about?" She asked curiously. Harry's head snapped up. "You had a nightmare as well?" He asked. Ron's ears turned pink. "Yeah, well, kind of. I don't remember it, just the waking up part." He said, shifting a little under Harry's stare. "It was about Ginny." Hermione said. "You yelled her name when you woke up." She told him. "Does that help you remember?" She added, sitting back. Ron shook his head slowly. "Nope. I just remember waking up, and then realising Harry was having one of his dreams, so I went into help Harry mode." He said casually. Harry snorted. "I need all the help I can get." He said darkly. At this point Mrs Weasley sat down in a chair next to Daphne, holding a half knitted jumper with needles dangling from it in her hands. "So, dear, how was your first term?" She asked kindly, starting to knit. It was obvious her mind was not on it though, so she put it to one side and sat looking at Daphne. "Oh, it was good. I was really surprised to see Hermione there, but glad as well, obviously." She told her with a slight smile. Mrs Weasley smiled. "What are your class like? Are you a Gryffindor too?" She asked. Daphne nodded. "Yep." She said. "My class are great. There's Lori, she's my best friend. Then there's Jake and Lara- they've known each other for years but didn't know they were both going to Hogwart's. Um, then there's Mark, he's got a brother in Hermione's class, and there's Craig and Sam. Then there are the twins, Kim and Abby. That's it." She finished with a grin. Mrs Weasley smiled again, looking rather nostalgic. "There were seven boys in my class, and two girls. I'm not entirely sure just how I survived." She said. Daphne laughed, deciding then and there that she really liked Mrs Weasley. 'And', she thought as she looked around the living room again, 'Hermione and Harry were right- the Burrow is really cool.' Daphne turned back to Mrs Weasley as she spoke again. "So tell me about your friend- did you say her name was Lori? What's she like? Is she a Muggle-born as well?" She asked. Daphne shook her head. "No. She's, well." Daphne suddenly remembered everything she'd ever heard about the Weasley/Malfoy war and fell silent. She didn't want Mrs Weasley thinking of Lori in a certain way just because of her family. "Yes dear?" Mrs Weasley encouraged her kindly. Daphne looked her straight in the eye and said, "She's a Malfoy. Leonora Malfoy." Mrs Weasley looked mildly surprised, but covered it up quickly. "Ah. Well, Fred and George told me that she had been sorted into Gryffindor. Is she nice?" She asked. Daphne felt a bit ashamed of drawing the conclusion that Mrs Weasley would think of Lori badly, and made up for it by giving her a lengthy description of Lori, and even threw in a blow-by-blow account of Gryffindor versus Slytherin, which she suspected her to be interested in. She was right- Mrs Weasley was obviously very proud that three of her sons were members of the Quidditch team. It was half an hour before Daphne realised exactly why Mrs Weasley was taking such an interest in her- no one else was. Fred and George were always lost in their own little world, and were sitting in a corner, drinking hot chocolate and drawing sketches of broomsticks they would like to build. All of them were booby-trapped. Daphne didn't expect to be shown much attention by them- it was her cousin's behaviour that was a bit surprising. Even though she was a lot older than her, Hermione had always treated Daphne like her friend, and had included her in everything that she could. However, right now, she was sitting on the other side of the room with Harry and Ron, with her back towards her and seemingly forgetting that she was in the vicinity. Daphne watched with interest as she and Ron took turns talking to Harry, trying to make him answer instead of sitting there with his head in his hands, and even though she felt a bit annoyed at being left out, she couldn't help but admire the way they were handling the situation. Hermione and Ron argued more than anyone she had ever met in her life- the simplest thing could set them off for hours. But right now they seemed to be reading each other's thoughts as they picked up each other's sentences and reasoned with their friend. Even though she could only hear snippets of what was being said, Daphne could see it was working. Harry was answering everything they said now, and was looking at them as they spoke. Daphne felt like giving them a round of applause. She also felt like hugging Mrs Weasley for talking to her- if she hadn't, she would have been sitting there like a lemon with nothing to do. It was clear that at the moment the three of them knew nothing outside of their conversation, and it was also apparent why they were such good friends- they were there for each other. Daphne was snapped out of her rather philosophical reverie by Mrs Weasley, who looked over her shoulder to see what she was staring at. "They work well together, don't they?" She said with a smile. Daphne blinked and looked back at Mrs Weasley with a sheepish grin. "Yeah. They do." She said quietly.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED.  
  
  
  
Ok. There you go for now. Sorry it ends so abruptly, but like I said, I had to cut it off somewhere. Next update in six weeks- I bet you won't mind that much though. Oh, and while I remember, the title of this story does actually mean something you know! I NEED A BLOODY TITLE!!! 'Please help me with a title' is not acceptable in the long run. So please, help me with a title. I expect suggestions when I get back, and even a brief reference on the subject would be appreciated.  
  
Please review!!! 


	18. The Nightmares After Christmas part 2

OK- it's finally here. The second part of the chapter! I hope you're grateful Fang- I've been sitting here all morning trying to finish this, and I'm still not happy with it! Do you know how hard it is to write with Writer's block? Well, anyway, the next chapter won't be long- I might even upload it later today. See ya'll, enjoy and review!!!  
  
The Nightmares After Christmas part 2  
  
They had been at the Burrow about an hour when Hermione suddenly gasped loudly and jumped to her feet. "My parents!" She cried in horror. "They don't know where we are!" Mrs Weasley went into a frenzy upon hearing this shocking information, and, after telling off Ron for not remembering, (and then Hermione, Harry and Daphne as well, in case it was also their fault,) she sat down and tried desperately to think of a way to contact them. In the end, there was nothing for it but for her to apparate to Hermione's house and tell her parents the situation. Mrs Weasley was only gone ten minutes, which was a good thing, as Fred and George didn't quite find time to try out there new invention, Lizard Lollies. "Well," Said Mrs Weasley when she reappeared in the Living Room. "The good news is they hadn't realised you were gone- they'd been out in the garden all this time, so there's no need for you to get in trouble." She cast Ron a dirty look, who rolled his eyes. "Anyway," she continued, "we've decided that the four of you can sleep here tonight, seeing as we don't know when the others will be back and I assume you want to be here when they do?" Harry nodded. "Thanks Mrs Weasley." He said. Mrs Weasley smiled fondly at Harry and then turned back to Daphne. "Would you like to help me sort out the beds dear? I could give you the grand tour at the same time." She said kindly. Daphne nodded eagerly- she really wanted to see the rest of the house. As she followed Mrs Weasley out of the living room, Daphne's eyes fell on a magazine lying on a small side table, 'Witch Weekly Christmas Special', under which poked out a thin wire with an earpiece on the end. She lifted up the magazine to find her Discman sitting on the table, looking the same as ever. "My Discman!" She said happily, lifting it up. Mrs Weasley turned back. "Oh, it's yours, is it?" She said, a slight smile on her face. "Arthur's been playing with that thing night and day- he finished it last week but hasn't been able to give it back because he likes it too much. He even went out and bought one of those DC things." She said. Daphne giggled. "CD" She said, opening up the Discman to see which CD was in it. Her eyes widened. "Forever Ella?" She asked in disbelief. "So is he now an Ella Fitzgerald fan?" Mrs Weasley smiled. "Well, I must say I've grown quite partial myself." She said sheepishly as Daphne put the Discman back down and followed Mrs Weasley up some steep, twisting stairs. Mrs Weasley gave Daphne the full tour, well, as full as she could, for instance she didn't show her and Mr Weasley's bedroom because it was "too much of a mess", or Fred and George's room because she said it "would be suicide to venture in". Daphne was humming 'I've got you under my skin' by Ella Fitzgerald the entire time. She helped Mrs Weasley set up a camp bed in Ginny's bedroom, where she and Hermione would be sleeping. Daphne thought this was a bit weird, seeing as Ginny wasn't there, but Mrs Weasley said that she wouldn't mind. Daphne believed her- she had never actually spoken to Ginny, but she seemed nice and was really good friends with Hermione. Daphne found it harder to set up a bed in Ron's room for Harry- she was almost blinded by the orange of the posters on the wall, and was very glad to leave the room. She didn't know how Ron actually lived in a bedroom that looked like the centre of the Earth. Oh well. Daphne and Mrs Weasley were just heading back downstairs when they heard several popping sounds and voices downstairs. Colour suddenly came back to Mrs Weasley's ashen face and she started to hurry down the stairs, Daphne following. "They're back! Thank Merlin!" She cried. When they got into the living room, they found Bill and Charlie seated on a sofa, looking pale and surrounded by Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George. Mrs Weasley ran over to her sons and hugged them. "We're OK Mum, honestly." Bill said, making her sit down next to him. She nodded, her eyes shining. Then she suddenly looked alarmed. "Where's your father? And Percy? Oh-" "They're fine!" Charlie hurried to reassure her. "They've both gone straight to the Ministry- it's going to be havoc there." "Why?" Harry asked urgently. "What happened?" Charlie looked up at him. "Well, you were right, for a start." He said heavily. "And it's a good thing you told us- Fudge would definitely have died. And his little Granddaughter was there too- she's only three." Everyone exchanged dark looks with each other before Charlie continued: "We got there just in time. When we arrived, there were three Deatheaters coming up to the back door. We sneaked up behind them, but they managed to get the door open before we could stop them. Fudge's son, Otis, was in the kitchen, and, well, they put the Cruciatus on him and we all forgot about surprising them- we all just ran forward. It was over pretty quickly really. None of our spells seemed to be working, but they weren't stupid enough to hang around and get caught by the Crime Squad, so they all disapparated. Otis was alright- he was the only real casualty. I've never seen Fudge, -or anyone really- so shocked as he was. He couldn't even speak. But, the worst thing was that there was a bunch of reporters there trying to get exclusives on the Flying Carpet fiasco in Norfolk off of Rupert Stangrin next door, so of course they all saw and I expect it's already all over the Daily Prophet." Everyone was silent for a while. After last year, most had heard the 'rumour' Voldemort had returned, but as the Ministry denied it and there was no proof, it was generally dismissed as just that. After this, not only would people be forced to believe it, but also the Ministry would be under heavy fire for not doing something sooner. At that moment, an owl flew through the open window and dropped a paper at Bill's feet. Sure enough, the front page had the headline: 'FUDGE NARROWLY ESCAPES ATTEMPT ON LIFE', complete with a picture of Otis under the Cruciatus curse. Everyone winced- even looking at the picture seemed painful. Bill read out the article out loud- it was very long and mainly full of criticisms of Fudge, the ministry, and then an entire double page spread listing a few of the worst things Voldemort had done when he had just come to power the first time. Nobody wanted to talk much after that. Bill and Charlie said they were going to the Ministry and disapparated. Mrs Weasley busied herself in the kitchen with the washing up, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat next to each other on a sofa, staring straight ahead at the wall in front of the, unable to think of anything to say to each other, and Daphne sat in an armchair staring into the fire. Finally, after about ten minutes of silence, Daphne couldn't take it anymore and went upstairs to Ginny's room, where she flopped down on the camp bed and stared into the darkness. Why was all this happening now? Why couldn't she be older, actually being able to do something to help? How was it one person could cause so much pain and suffering? With all these questions chasing each other around in her head, Daphne fell into an uneasy sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
"Daphne!" Daphne woke up to find Hermione shaking her. She grinned. "Hi there. Come on- we're about to have breakfast." She said. Daphne nodded and sat up sleepily. Her watch told her it was half-eight, but her sleepy head told her it was only about four. Daphne shook her head slightly and followed Hermione out of the room. She was still wearing the same clothes that she had been wearing the night before, as was Daphne. Harry, Ron, Fred and George were already seated at the breakfast table when they reached the kitchen, tucking into bacon, eggs and sausages. Hermione and Daphne sat down and started to eat as well, while Mrs Weasley fussed around them all, trying to get Harry to eat even more and refilling everyone's mugs of tea and coffee. Mr Weasley and Percy were already at the Ministry, Daphne was told, and Hermione also told her that they hadn't got back home last night until midnight. Mrs Weasley was supposed to be meeting a friend of hers' in Diagon alley for shopping at nine, so as soon as they were finished with breakfast she whisked away their plates and ushered Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne over to the fire. Ron explained to Daphne that as the Burrow was connected to the Floo network, you were able to get to the house from a place that wasn't connected, but not vice versa. So Mr Weasley had had to have Hermione's house connected just for the morning. Daphne really didn't want to travel by Floo powder again, but as she now knew what to do, at least she wasn't scared. Hermione went first, followed by Daphne, then Harry, and Ron came last, laden down with a huge box of mince pies his mother had forced upon him to give to the Grangers. The first thing Daphne noticed when she stepped out of the fire was Luke, sitting on the sofa, looking at her in horror. He had obviously been watching TV before Hermione had appeared in the fireplace. Daphne giggled- fancy being surprised by four people arriving home in the fire!  
  
  
  
WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! THE BANE ON MY EXISTENCE (THIS CHAPTER) IS FINALLY FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	19. Read All About It!

This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend MICHELLE MOLLOY  
  
HAPPY NOW?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?  
  
Disclaimer- it's all J.K's.  
  
Read all about it!  
  
"Thanks again Joanne." Ron said, as he, Harry, Hermione and Daphne turned their trolleys to face the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Joanne smiled. "It was my pleasure. It was lovely having you all to stay." She said, bending down to make sure Annor's cage was secure on Daphne's trunk. She straightened up and pulled her niece into a hug. "Have a nice term Daphne." Daphne grinned. "I will." She said. Joanne gave Hermione a big hug and kissed her on the cheek. "Try not to work too hard Hermione." She said with a wink at Harry and Ron, who hid their laughter from their friend. Hermione not working hard would be like Dumbledore wearing a boring hat- ridiculous.  
  
Harry and Ron went through the barrier together, and were quickly followed by Hermione and Daphne. The platform looked much like it did at the beginning of the year, except that everyone was wearing coats and their breath rose as steam in front of their faces. Daphne immediately began to scan the crowds for Lori, but she was nowhere to be seen. After a couple of minutes, Hermione dragged her towards the train. "Daphne!" Daphne turned around to see Jake and Lara hurrying towards her from the other end of the train. "Hi!" Lara said as they came closer. "Did you have a nice Christmas?" Daphne nodded and smiled. "Yep, it was great. How was yours?" Jake grinned. "Lara and her family came to my house on Christmas day because her mum wanted to know if it was true that my mum is a witch. So she turned my dad into a beaver to prove it. It was hilarious!" He said, starting to laugh at the memory. "We've got a compartment down the end of the train. Are you coming?" Lara asked Daphne. Daphne nodded and looked over at Hermione. "Is that alright?" She asked her. Hermione grinned. "I'm not your keeper Daph. I'll see you when we get to school." She said, climbing onto the train. Daphne wandered away with Lara and Jake, asking them if they had seen Lori. They hadn't, apparently, so she was left to trying to spot her friend in the crowds. Hermione had just sat down opposite Harry and Ron when they heard a scream from outside, followed by shouts and lots of footsteps. The three of them stood up at once and poked their heads out through the window, squashed together, and tried to see what was going on. It wasn't hard to spot. Down near the front of the train, by the prefects' carriages, a fire had started. And it was massive. It roared about three times higher than the train, and even from their vantage point halfway down the train they could feel the heat from it. However, as bad as the fire was, they weren't too worried. There were ways to put out fires. In fact, a couple of seconds later, the fire started to shrink and the next moment it had disappeared completely. The few people on the platform all stopped worrying and a few of them started to laugh. Harry tried to pull his head back, but found it was stuck under Ron's chin, while Hermione's was squashed in between the window frame and Ron's head, and Ron was sandwiched between the window frame, Hermione's head AND Harry's head. The train began to slowly pull away from the station with their heads still poked out of the window. After a moment's struggle, Ron managed to free his head, not before hitting it rather hard on the top of the window however. Rubbing his head and scowling, he sat back down as Harry and Hermione did the same. Ron cast a dark look at the offending window as the train started to pick up speed. "We should have opened the door." He said in annoyance. Harry and Hermione laughed and sat back. "What do you think started the fire?" Harry asked, closing the window. Ron shrugged. "A spell gone wrong most probably." Hermione answered as Ron stood up. "Finally! Talk about late!" He said, throwing open the window. A ruffled looking owl, buffeted by a combination of strong winds and the train's slipstream, managed to fly in through the window. It was carrying a newspaper in its beak, which it handed to Hermione. She smiled and placed three bronze Knuts into the leather pouch tied to its leg. The owl gave a hoot and soared off through the window again, which Ron closed behind it. "Oh my God!" Hermione cried. She was staring at the front page of the paper, her eyes wide with shock. "Fudge has resigned!" She exclaimed, looking up at Harry and Ron, who were leaning forward across the table. "What?" Harry gasped, trying to see the paper. Hermione nodded as she scanned the article. "I don't believe it- it says that after the attack on his house, he feels it is in his family's best interests if he steps down, no longer safe.unable to handle the situation effectively- not half!." Hermione mumbled as she quickly read the story. She cleared her throat. "Listen to this- 'Mr Fudge has also expressed his heartfelt apologies to the Wizarding world for not accepting You-Know-Who's return sooner. "I made a mistake" was the only other comment he would make on the subject.'" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes you did." She muttered. "It also says that elections for the new Minister will take place next week, and meanwhile Milandra Findlay-Atkinson is filling in. Well." Hermione put down the newspaper and stared at her friends. "About time." Harry muttered, sitting back in his seat. "Maybe now we'll get someone who isn't a complete idiot." He added darkly. Ron and Hermione nodded in agreement. Hermione looked down at the paper again. "It doesn't really say much about the elections, I've never read anything about-" Hermione stopped speaking and she gasped loudly, staring down at the front page. "What?!" Harry and Ron asked urgently as Hermione pressed a hand over her mouth. She looked up at them, her eyes wide. "Hogwarts was attacked!" She said in disbelief. Ron blanched and Harry snatched up the paper. At the bottom of the page was a small article, headed 'Attack on Hogwarts!' He read it out quickly: "'It has emerged this morning that on Christmas Day two Deatheaters entered Hogwarts castle and attacked some of the students. Information is sketchy at best, but it is reported that they were not caught, nor is it clear how they got into the castle. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore refuses to comment on the subject, as do the entire faculty. It is not clear what part of the castle was attacked, who was attacked, and whether they were seriously injured.'" Harry looked up at Ron and Hermione, who were both looking very pale. "Blimey." He said weakly, looking down at the paper again. "Does it say.?" Hermione began, but Harry cut her off. "It doesn't say anything else." He said, showing her the paper. Hermione looked at it quickly, but her eyes fell past it to Ron, and she frowned. "Are you OK?" She asked him worriedly. Harry looked over at Ron. He looked awful- like he was about to throw up. He swallowed hard when Hermione spoke to him. "It was Ginny." He said quietly. Harry frowned as well. "What was Ginny?" He asked Ron. Ron swallowed again. "Ginny was attacked." He said, looking straight at him. Hermione shook her head rapidly. "No Ron, don't be silly. Of course Ginny wasn't." "How do you know?" Ron asked angrily. Hermione started at his tone of voice, but recovered quickly. "Well how do you?" She shot back. Ron glared out of the window. "I just do, OK?" He said, folding his arms. Harry and Hermione shared an anxious look and then turned to Ron again. "Look Ron, loads of people stayed at school, I'm sure that Ginny." Harry tried, but Ron cut him off. "I know it was Ginny, so don't even try to tell me it wasn't." Ron said. "Fine." Harry said bitterly, sitting back in his seat again. Ron drummed his fingers on the table. "How long 'til we get there?" He asked suddenly. Hermione shrugged. "About eight hours." She said quietly. Ron groaned and sat back as well. He folded his arms. Then unfolded them again. He drummed his fingers on the table. Then stopped. Then started again. He folded his arms. Then scratched his ear. He drummed his fingers again. Hermione and Harry looked at each other in exasperation. This was going to be one long journey.  
  
~*~  
  
He had been drumming his fingers on the table for almost an hour now. Harry and Hermione sat with their teeth and hands clenched; to both stop themselves from yelling out loud and slapping Ron across the face. It was about six, and had got dark a couple of hours ago. It had also started to snow, causing the windows to blacken even more, meaning they couldn't even look out of the window at the scenery to distract themselves. Ron had barely spoken throughout the entire journey, something that was very unusual for him. Hermione and Harry had begun by trying to reassure him that his sister was unharmed but it was pointless- he just wouldn't listen.  
  
Just when they thought they wouldn't be able to last another second, the compartment door slid open to reveal Daphne. Harry and Hermione had never been so glad to see anyone in their lives- the drumming stopped immediately. "Hi." Daphne said, stepping into the small box and smiling tiredly. "Er- " "Daphne! Come and sit with me!" Hermione said, grabbing her cousin's hand and pulling her down onto the seat next to her. "How are you?" Hermione asked her eagerly. Daphne looked at her cousin in surprise. "Um, I'm fine. But- er, have you seen Lori anywhere?" Harry frowned. "Haven't you found her yet?" He asked in surprise. Daphne shook her head, obviously puzzled by the fact as well. "No. At first I thought she just couldn't find us, so I went to look for her. I must have been up and down this train ten times- I can't find her anywhere, and the only person who's seen her is Craig, and that was when she was going through the barrier onto the platform." Daphne told him. Hermione frowned. "Hmm. Well, we haven't seen her. Sorry Daph." She said. Daphne nodded and stood up to go. "No!" Harry and Hermione cried simultaneously. They both shifted embarrassedly as Daphne frowned at them before turning to leave. "I'll see you later- if you see Lori, will you tell her we're in the second to last compartment?" Daphne said. "Oh," she added, turning round again to face Ron. "What's wrong with you?" she asked, referring to the stony look on his face and his silence throughout her entire time in the compartment. Ron spoke now, but impatiently. "There's nothing wrong with *me*. I'm not the one you should be worrying about." He told her quizzically. Daphne nodded, shot a confused look at Harry and Hermione, and left the compartment. Hermione rolled her eyes. "For goodness' sake Ron!" She said exasperatedly. "Stop jumping to conclusions!" Ron glared at her. "I am not jumping to conclusions." He said stonily. Hermione glared back. "Yes, you are." She told him. "Ginny has not been attacked." She said defiantly. Ron looked like he was going to answer but then decided not to. Instead he shot Hermione another icy look, and started to drum his fingers on the table again.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry and Hermione had never been so glad to get off of the Hogwart's Express. They were among the first to jump out when the train pulled to a halt, followed by a very impatient Ron. He dodged between the people on the platform, cursing under his breath whenever he was held up, while Harry and Hermione struggled to catch up with him. "Well at least he's not drumming his fingers anymore." Harry said to Hermione as they narrowly avoided knocking someone over for the fifth time in one minute. Hermione smiled weakly as they pulled free of the crowds on the platform and ran after Ron, who was already getting into one of the horseless carriages. They managed to reach it just as the thing started to move off again. Harry and Hermione took one look at Ron and knew not to say anything- he was so on edge that he looked ready to plummet to his death. Ron didn't wait for the carriage to stop- he was out of it as soon as it neared the front steps of the castle, Harry and Hermione struggling in vain to catch up. They knew that Ron was worrying about nothing, but what if, what if he was right? He seemed so sure. Harry and Hermione got through the massive front doors in time to see Ron disappear into the Great Hall. They exchanged a glance and followed. Ron hadn't got very far. Professor McGonagall was standing a few feet inside the hall, and was now talking politely to Ron, asking him about his holidays. Harry and Hermione were glad to see he was answering properly and not ignoring the Head of Gryffindor house. Then they realised why this was- Ginny was seated at the Gryffindor table next to her friend Lisa, smiling and waving at Ron, who could see her perfectly. Even though they hadn't really believed Ron, Harry and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief to see that Ginny was fine. And felt relieved also that Ron would finally be able to relax. Or so they thought. As soon as Professor McGonagall moved away Ron was off again, not running, but certainly walking very fast. Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes and went after him. "Hi you three!" Ginny said, as they got nearer. "Happy New Year! How was your Chri- Ron, what's wrong?" She asked as Ron walked up to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded. Ginny glanced at Harry and Hermione, who looked back apologetically, and then back at Ron. "What do you mean? Tell you what?" She asked. Ron glared at her. "About Christmas Day- about the attack." He said. "Oh." Ginny said casually. "Dumbledore didn't want anyone to tell anyone about it- how do you know about it?" She asked curiously. "It was in the paper." Ron said, sitting down next to her. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah- I read that too. So anyway, did you." "Did you get hurt badly? How's your arm?" Ron asked suddenly. Ginny's eyes widened as she turned to face Ron fully. "OK, now I'm freaked out." She said. "How did you know it was me?" She asked. Ron ears turned pink. "Because I'm a genius." He said angrily. Then: "I can't believe you didn't tell me." Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You didn't need me to." She said in disbelief. Harry and Hermione sank into chairs opposite Ginny and Ron. "You mean you *were* attacked?" Hermione asked, aghast. "Ron was right?" Ginny nodded and Hermione and Harry gaped at her. Ron frowned. "I told you she was attacked. It's not my fault you didn't believe me." He said to them before turning back to his sister. "And your arm?" Ginny stared at him. "It's fine now. Madam Pomfrey fixed it straight away." She said. "How did you-?" Ron cut her off. "I could tell by the way you were holding it. So you're OK?" He persisted. Ginny nodded dumbly. Ron nodded as well, and then looked at Lisa. "How about you?" He asked her. Lisa's eyes widened. "Er- I'm OK as well. Ginny was worse than me, and she only broke her arm." Ginny, Lisa, Harry and Hermione continued to stare at Ron as the rest of the school filed into the hall. Ron was ignoring them all- instead watching the rest of the students. Daphne, Lara and Jake came in and sat down near the end of the table. Fred, George and Lee came in, the twins showing Lee some innocent looking lollipops that Ron knew were far from innocent. They were all laughing. Draco Malfoy and his two goons came in, looking stupid as usual. The last student to come into the hall was Lori, looking very, well, scared. Ron frowned and pointed her out to Harry and Hermione who stopped staring at him and turned to stare at her instead. "What's wrong with her?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged and Hermione turned to where her cousin sat further up the table. "Daphne!" She called out to her. Daphne looked up at Hermione, and then past her to where Lori stood near the doors. Her face split into a relieved grin and she raised her arm and waved. Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to watch as Lori approached the Gryffindor table. She spotted Daphne and, instead of smiling, waving back and going to sit with her, Lara and Jake, as they expected her to, she quickly looked away and sat down at the first seat she came to, which was as far away from them as she could possibly get. Daphne began to stand up, but at that moment Dumbledore also got up to begin his speech, so she was forced to remain seated. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence, and smiled. "Welcome back everyone- and Happy New Year! I hope you're all back, eager to learn." (There were groans, rolls of eyes and sniggers from everyone except Hermione). "I imagine that most of you have read the article in the Daily Prophet this morning, but I would like to assure you all that the students in question are perfectly alright and there is absolutely no danger of a repeat. Extra security measures have been placed on the school and I'm sure that any such stealth attack will not happen again. But now, let's turn to more cheerful matters- time to eat!" Food appeared magically on the plates on the tables and everyone tucked in. Harry, Ron and Hermione helped themselves to food, watching Daphne and Lori out the corner of their eyes. Daphne had been roped into conversation with Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet and Lee Jordan. Daphne was far too polite to break off conversations, so they continued to watch as she forced herself to speak.  
  
~*~  
  
Daphne didn't get away from Angelina, Alicia and Lee until the deserts were nearly finished. She liked them a lot- and if they wanted her to tell them all about her Christmas and what ice-skating was like, then she wasn't about to say no. Finally, she excused herself and walked over to where Lori was sitting, morosely picking at a slice of lemon sponge. She didn't see her get closer. "Hi Lori." Daphne said, sitting down opposite her. Lori glanced up at her, turned red, and looked down again. "Hello." She mumbled. Daphne frowned. "Why didn't you come and sit with us?" She asked. Lori seemed to be finding her cake very interesting. "I, I didn't see you." She said quietly. This was a downright lie, and Daphne knew it. She leant forward, lowering her voice. "What's wrong Lori?" She asked, concerned. Lori tucked a hair behind her ear and shrugged. "Nothing." She said quickly. Daphne rolled her eyes. "Lori, you can." She began, but Lori suddenly looked up and said; "Daphne, just leave me ALONE!" Daphne sat back in her seat, completely shocked, as Dumbledore stood up and bade them all good night. Lori jumped out of her seat as if it were on fire, and exited the Great Hall before anyone else. Daphne stayed where she was, staring after Lori, until Jake and Lara came along and practically lifted her out of her chair.  
  
  
  
  
  
Well Michelle, all I can say is; if you don't review, I'll kick your toe really hard. 


	20. Gryffindor v Hufflepuff

Maddy- thanks for letting me know about the format on my chapters- I really didn't know that was happening. Anyway, I don't know what's wrong with it as I am useless when it comes to things like that, so I just hope this one uploads properly.  
  
Michelle, I'd just like to say that I've thought about your request and decided that it won't fit in with this story at all, and besides, I'm sure there's a cure for that at Hogwart's that would clean it up straight away. But, he does get injured in this chapter, so I hope that makes up for it a little.  
  
Disclaimer- Not mine!  
  
Chapter twenty (oh my God): Gryffindor v Hufflepuff (An original title, I know)  
  
Daphne, Lara and Jake jumped up and cheered with the rest of the crowd as Katie Bell scored. Gryffindor sixty, Hufflepuff nil! It was the first match after the Christmas break, and the Gryffindor team had been out nearly every night for the past three weeks training for it. It showed. They were only five minutes in and the chasers were doing brilliantly. Hufflepuff's keeper, Rachel Jenkins, was very good, but even she couldn't stop them.  
  
However, Gryffindor were in danger now- Rachel had thrown the quaffle to Terry Boot, who was tearing down to the other end of the pitch. Fred and George raced towards the bludgers, but they were too late- the Hufflepuff beaters already had control of them. As soon as Terry Boot was in the scoring area, they both hit the bludgers in perfect unison- this was obviously a well-planned attack.  
  
Daphne was nearly knocked over as Hermione and Ginny, who were sitting behind her, jumped up and screamed "Ron!" in perfect unison. Not that he could hear them or anything, and even if he could it would have been too late- WHAM! WHAM!  
  
The bludgers hit his stomach one after the other, and Ron keeled over on his broom, leaving the way perfectly clear for Terry to get an easy ten points. The Hufflepuff stand erupted, but in the Gryffindor stand, all eyes were on Ron. Ron was obviously winded. How he managed to stay on his broom was a mystery- not when he couldn't even breathe.  
  
Angelina and Alicia were at his side in a second, helping him sit up, Katie had retrieved the quaffle and was flying towards them, Harry was frantically calling a time-out and Fred and George, well, they had both sped up to one of the bludgers each, and whacked them hard at the Hufflepuff beaters, who both had to swerve dangerously to avoid them.  
  
The Gryffindors all watched anxiously as their team conferred. Hermione and Ginny were almost crying and Neville, Seamus and Dean, who sat near them, were yelling out vicious diatribes about the 'sleazy Hufflepuffs'.  
  
Ron was sitting up again and speaking, though he still looked very pale and seemed to be in pain. Unsurprisingly. Harry was speaking to him in an undertone, Ron was shaking his head, and the next minute Harry signalled to Madam Hooch for play to continue.  
  
The Gryffindor chasers were fiercer than ever. They scored five more goals, taking the score up to one hundred and ten to ten, leaving the Hufflepuff chasers with no chance to score again. Or so they thought. Terry Boot broke free once more, tearing down the field like a bat out of hell. Luckily though, this time Fred and George had control of the bludgers down near the other end.  
  
The Gryffindors watched with bated breath as Boot passed to Neill, and Neill back to Boot, who was within scoring range. He threw the quaffle, and looked sure to score until, at the last minute, Ron stretched out his hand and batted it towards Katie Bell.  
  
The save, though a good one, didn't seem to do much for his injury. Most of the crowd were following the game, but many of the Gryffindors watched as Ron clutched at his side, leaned forward and lost his balance. Hermione and Ginny were screaming again, but Ron managed to hold onto his broom and sit upright again. He looked green.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry had seen Ron almost fall off his broom, and was at his side in two seconds flat. "Ron, you're injured." He said angrily. "You shouldn't be playing." Ron rolled his eyes. "We're in the middle of a match Harry." He said, as if he didn't know that. Harry frowned. "I'll call a time out. You can't do any good like this."  
  
"I just saved that one, didn't I?" Ron said indignantly, suddenly coughing. Coughing hurt, though, and Ron almost fell off his broom again, clutching his side. Harry flew up right next to him. "Get on the broom." He said. "I'll take you down to the ground."  
  
Ron frowned through the pain. "I can still fly you know." He said crossly, wobbling on the broom again. Harry glared at him. "Get on the broom." He repeated coldly. Ron made a growling noise in his throat but nevertheless did as Harry told him and climbed awkwardly onto the Firebolt behind Harry. He pushed on his own broom, which started to lower to the ground.  
  
Harry was watching the game at the other end of the pitch. "I think Alicia's about to score. Hang on- wait until she does and then I'll call a- " Harry never finished his sentence, because something else had caught his eye. It was small, gold, and twenty feet below them. "Hold on!" He yelled to Ron, who was still looking green.  
  
~*~  
  
"Oh, thank God, Harry's got him- he'll be alright now." Hermione said. She and Ginny had been watching what had been going on for the past ten minutes with increasing concern. When Ron had almost fallen off his broom Hermione had screamed and Ginny had started to cry. Now, Ginny was hiding her face in her hands while Lisa tried hopelessly to reassure her and Hermione had a hand on Daphne's shoulder in front of her. Daphne could no longer feel her right arm.  
  
Ginny looked up and gave a relieved sigh. "Oh g- aaaaahh!" She screamed, as Harry suddenly went into a very steep dive, Ron barely clinging on. Hermione was now clutching Daphne's shoulder so tightly that Daphne's eyes were watering with pain. Those in the crowd who had been watching Alicia Spinnet score a great volley turned and gasped as they saw Harry Potter diving.  
  
The next second the stands erupted with cheering as Harry held the snitch in his hand.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry got to the ground as quickly as he could and climbed off his broom. Ron was grimacing in pain, and holding on to the broom handle for support. "Are you OK?" Harry asked worriedly. "I'm so sorry about that- I."  
  
"Ow." Ron said weakly, placing a hand on his ribs and looking up at Harry. "Nice catch though." He said in an oddly strained voice. Harry grinned. The rest of the team were on the ground now, and a fair few supporters were flooding the pitch as well. "You need to go to the hospital- Ow!" Harry rubbed the back of his head and stared round to see who had hit him. It was Ginny Weasley.  
  
"What was that for?" He demanded. Ginny glared at him. "For going into that dive with my INJURED BROTHER on your BROOM!" She yelled. Ron had started to laugh, and then found this hurt as well, and had managed to fall of the broom onto the snow-covered pitch. He stopped laughing immediately. Harry swallowed and turned back to Ginny. "Er, sorry, but I- OW!"  
  
Harry rubbed the back of his head again, glaring at Hermione. She smiled sweetly at him. "Good catch." She said, before crouching down next to Ron, who was laughing again, though trying not to, while clutching at his side. Hermione took out her wand and conjured up a stretcher. "Get on." She said. Ron glared up at her. "No way." He said slowly and deliberately. "You'll have to stun me first."  
  
Hermione pointed her wand at him. "I could do that." She said calmly. Ron looked at the wand, then at the stretcher, swore under his breath and got onto it with a dark look on his face. The supporters on the pitch saw the stretcher and all started to gather round it, making progress to the castle very difficult. Ron sat scowling at everyone who dared to ask him if he was OK, while Harry and Hermione fought through the crowd in front of him. Lisa had grabbed Ginny and held her hostage on the pitch so she couldn't follow her brother- she would be too worrisome to be any help.  
  
~*~  
  
Daphne, Lara and Jake were standing near the edge of the pitch, watching what was happening with interest. The Slytherins in the crowd had already gone back up to the castle, most of the Hufflepuffs were heading that way, while the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors were crowded round the Gryffindor team, offering congratulations. A huge group of them were moving towards the lawn heading up to the school, and Daphne, Lara and Jake could just make out a stretcher among them, which they knew held Ron.  
  
Daphne was just about to suggest that they went to see what was going on when she spotted Lori on the other side of the pitch, near the Ravenclaw stands, walking round the edge of the lawn, heading for the exit. Daphne had hardly seen her at all during the past three weeks.  
  
Lori was the first to wake up in the morning and disappeared to God-knows- where until their first lesson, when she would arrive last and sit as far away from everyone as possible. She was always first out of the classroom. Daphne didn't know when she ate- she never saw her at meals. And then, at the end of the day, Lori was the first to bed, and seemed to be asleep by the time anyone else got up to the dormitory.  
  
Daphne didn't have a clue what was going on with her- Lori wouldn't speak to anyone, especially her. But now she had the perfect opportunity to speak to her, and she wasn't going to waste it. Saying goodbye to Lara and Jake, Daphne ran across the pitch, dodging various supporters and catching up with Lori just as she reached the exit.  
  
"Lori!" Daphne called, skidding to a halt in front of her. Lori's eyes widened and she quickly stared down at the floor, though she didn't say anything. And now that it came to it, Daphne didn't know what to say either. "Um, how are you?" She asked, while at the same time thinking; 'That is the stupidest thing I've ever said.'  
  
Lori stared up at the stands. "I'm fine." She said shortly. "But I've got a lot of work to do, excuse me." She said starting to step round Daphne. Daphne put a hand out to stop her. "Don't! Lori, we need to talk." She pleaded. Lori finally looked her in the eyes. "No, we don't." She said icily, shaking off her hand. "I've already told you Daphne, leave me alone."  
  
And she walked off. Just like that. Daphne watched her walking away, making a single track through the snow, trying desperately to think of some way to get her to talk. What was going on?  
  
Suddenly realising that she was one of the last people on the Quidditch field, Daphne hurried up to the castle.  
  
~*~  
  
There was a large, boisterous party in the Gryffindor common room that morning. The match had only lasted fifteen minutes, so it was still before twelve when they started on the butterbeers and cakes supplied by the Weasley twins. The team had brought back news from the Hospital Wing that Ron had broken two ribs, and the fact that he had managed to stay on his broom and make such a good save just made the party more celebratory.  
  
Daphne had got up to common room a long time after everyone else- it had started to snow again. Lori was nowhere in sight, and she wasn't in the dormitory either- Lara had checked. Daphne didn't enjoy the party much- her encounter with Lori had left her very confused and hurt. Lara and Jake tried their best to cheer her up, but they were as confused as she was.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived back in the Common room at about two in the afternoon, which was quite early considering how much Madam Pomfrey liked to keep her patients in the Hospital Wing for as long as possible. Everybody cheered as they entered, and there was a rush to bring them drinks and cakes. Hermione separated herself from the crowd as quickly as possible and went to sit with Ginny and Lisa.  
  
At about three, there was a series of taps on the window and four owls swooped in, carrying copies of the Daily Prophet. The newspaper owls were always late when it was snowing badly, so nobody was surprised. Hermione was the only subscriber who actually bothered to open her paper- the others; Angelina Johnson, Colin Creevey and Naomi Watson were all too busy watching Fred and George juggle empty butterbeer bottles.  
  
Hermione opened her paper, scanned the first page and felt her jaw drop open. "What's wrong Hermione?" Lisa asked her, concerned. Hermione barely heard her. She jumped up and fought through the crowd to where Ron and Harry were sitting by the fire.  
  
"Ron! Look!" She said, thrusting the paper at him. He picked it up curiously and opened it to the front page. Harry watched as the look on Ron's face turned into one of complete shock as he read. He looked up at Hermione. "Blimey." He said weakly.  
  
Hermione suddenly grinned and hugged Ron tightly. "Isn't it great?" She said happily. Ron didn't seem to notice Hermione hugging him- he was staring straight ahead, still in shock. "What?" Harry demanded. By this time, Ginny and Lisa had followed Hermione across the room, and Ginny echoed Harry's question.  
  
Ron looked up at Ginny. "Dad's been nominated for Minister of Magic." He told her. Ginny's face was suddenly the mirror images of her brother's as she also went into shock. Lisa hugged Ginny, laughing, and Harry gasped, snatching the paper from Ron.  
  
Harry started grinning wildly. "Yes!" He said happily. "That's perfect- he'll be great!"  
  
Lee Jordan suddenly came bouncing over- he had an eye for seeing any important developments. "What's going on?" He asked curiously. Harry answered him. "Ron's Dad has been nominated for Minister of Magic." He told him, holding out the paper. Lee took it, read the front page, and then suddenly jumped up onto the table.  
  
"Hey everyone! Listen up!" He yelled. Fred and George stopped juggling and everyone turned towards Lee. He grinned as Ron tried to take the paper back off of him. "The nominees for Minister of Magic are in!" Most people made a face and turned away, including Fred and George, which Lee noticed. "Hey, clones- you might want to hear this." He said to them.  
  
"The nominees are Gertrude Vialli, Amos Diggory." There were mutterings from everyone who had met the late Cedric's father. "And," Lee said, the room now silent. "Arthur Weasley!"  
  
Fred and George's faces were a picture- their jaws almost hit the floor. There were gasps from everyone in the room, and then a sudden rush of cheers, yells and applause as everyone rushed towards the fire to offer the Weasley children their congratulations, all four of whom were still in shock. Harry and Hermione could not stop laughing, though they did not know why, and even Daphne, on the other side of the room, perked up a little.  
  
The party went on far into the night. They had flattened Hufflepuff at Quidditch, there were no lessons the next day and there was the prospect of finally getting a useful Minister of Magic. It was pretty impossible to feel sad right then.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Please review! The next chapter will be up within a few hours most probably, and then after that. THE NEXT SEVEN CHAPTERS ARE ALMOST FINISHED! I can actually see myself finishing this story, which will be amazing, I'm telling you! 


	21. Revelations

OK, I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter of the story, but I don't have the time or patience to check. Anywho, it's quite an important chapter, so read it carefully! (Good luck getting your head round all the info you're about to receive.  
  
Disclaimer- All Harry Potter references belong to J.K. Rowling.  
  
Chapter 21- Revelations.  
  
The Gryffindor euphoria lasted for several days. After the Weasleys had got over the initial shock of their father being the possible next Minister of Magic, they had written to Mr Weasley, who had replied to assure them that he was as shocked as them, if not more so.  
  
Ron was reading the letter to Harry and Hermione as they walked down to breakfast on the Wednesday. It had come late the night before, and they hadn't heard it yet.  
  
".just remember that I most probably won't be voted in. And your mother says that she hopes you are remembering to eat your vegetables. I'd like to remind you to stay away from brussel sprouts. Take care, Dad." Ron grinned and tucked the letter back into his robes. The elections were on Friday, and although he tried not to show it, Harry and Hermione could tell he was nervous for his Dad. Hell, so were they.  
  
"He seems to be coping with the pressure well." Hermione remarked as they entered the hall. Ron shrugged. "I hope so." He said, smiling at a Ravenclaw who told him that her parents were voting for his Dad. They sat down at their usual seats and began to eat.  
  
Hermione looked down the table and suddenly noticed Lori, who was sitting by herself and practically shoving her cereal into her mouth. "There's Lori." Hermione said to Harry and Ron. "I haven't seen her in ages."  
  
Hermione wasn't the only one to have noticed her. Daphne was watching her curiously, knowing that if she went down to talk to her it would be a complete waste of time. One good thing though- Lori being here proved that she wasn't starving herself, but coming down to eat very early. But they had had a late-running astronomy class last night, and so you couldn't blame her for sleeping late.  
  
Lori had just stood up to leave when the post-owls suddenly streamed into the hall. There were as many as ever- the snow had subsided slightly over the last few days. Daphne watched with interest as a black owl swooped up to Lori and handed her a letter before swooping off again. She had never seen Lori receive any mail before.  
  
Lori didn't seem too overjoyed about getting a letter. On the contrary- she went white and picked up the letter with a trembling hand that could be clearly seen from the other end of the table. Lori looked around to see if anyone near her were watching, which they weren't, sat down and opened her letter.  
  
Daphne watched, alarmed, as Lori jumped up a few seconds letter and hurried out of the hall, looking like she was about to throw up. Enough was enough. Something in that letter had done that to her- and Daphne was going to find out what. She got to her feet and ran out of the hall in time to see Lori get to the top of the first flight of marble stairs.  
  
Daphne followed Lori stealthily through the castle, all the way up to Gryffindor tower. Lori was avoiding everyone- if any students came her way, she would either hide from view or change direction as fast as she could. Daphne had noticed her doing this for the past few weeks, but this morning it was somehow worse.  
  
When they reached the portrait hole, Lori gave the password quickly and practically jumped through the opening. Daphne waited a few moments before following her.  
  
The common room was completely empty- not surprising, as the first lesson was about to start in one minute. Daphne hurried to the girl's staircase and climbed the two flights of stairs up to the first year dormitory. The door was slightly open, but Daphne couldn't see her friend through the crack. She paused, but then pushed the door open just as Lori had reached for it.  
  
Daphne heard Lori gasp loudly and stumble. Daphne found her sitting on the end of her bed, which was right next to the door, with a look of pure terror on her face. When Lori saw who it was, her face relaxed and she pressed her hand on her heart, taking deep shallow breaths. Daphne hurried over to her and crouched down next to her.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. Lori was very pale and was visibly shaking. Her eyes darted around the room as she answered. "N-nothing. I'm fine. You just, sc-scared me." She gasped. Daphne frowned and sat down next to Lori on the bed. "Are you sure? You look really ill." She persisted, leaning round to look her friend in the face. Lori met her eyes but looked away quickly, standing up.  
  
She picked up her bag, which was on the floor, and smiled thinly. "I'm fine. Er- it's potions now, isn't it?" She said quickly, avoiding Daphne's eyes. Daphne stood up as Lori started to walk to the door. In two strides she reached the door and stood before her, with a stern, determined look on her face. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong." She said with a frown.  
  
Lori looked up at Daphne hopelessly, and Daphne could see the fear in her eyes. Hell, it was etched over her entire face. Daphne bit her lip, her brow furrowed. She didn't know what her friend was so scared of, but she was going to find out.  
  
"Th-there's nothing wrong. Honestly." Lori said quietly, looking up at the ceiling. Daphne rolled her eyes impatiently. "Oh, come off it Lori. You've been acting weird since Christmas. What the hell happened?" She demanded. Lori looked back at her, and Daphne was startled to see tears in her friend's eyes. "Please Daphne, don't do this." She said, her voice breaking. She tried to step round Daphne, who refused to budge.  
  
"What's wrong?" Daphne asked again, more softly this time. Lori suddenly became angry. She turned to face her, her eyes flashing. "You don't care." She said angrily. Daphne felt as though someone had slapped her across the face. When she spoke, her voice trembled.  
  
"How could you? Of course I care." She said. Lori folded her arms, tears starting to leak down her cheeks. She angrily wiped them away. "You might do now. But, but in a few weeks you'll just leave me like everyone else does."  
  
Daphne stepped forward and grabbed Lori by the shoulders. She shook her hard, until Lori stopped crying and looked up at her again. "I'm not going anywhere. You're my best friend Lori, and I'm worried about you." She said.  
  
Lori's expression softened, and more tears cascaded down her cheeks. "I *can't* tell you." She said shaking her head sadly. Daphne stepped back slightly and folded her arms. "Oh yes you can." She said. "We're not leaving this room until you do."  
  
Lori's eyes flickered over to the door, and then to Daphne. She saw the determination in her eyes and sighed deeply. "Daphne- if, if I tell you, then you can't. if you told anyone." she stammered. Daphne placed her hand on Lori's shoulder again and squeezed it reassuringly. "You can trust me Lori." She said.  
  
Lori looked up at her through tear-filled eyes. "P-promise me you won't." She began, but Daphne cut her off. "I promise. I swear I won't tell anyone what you tell me." She said. Lori still looked unsure, and Daphne smiled at her. "Not anyone." She repeated firmly. Lori nodded, and sat back down on her bed. Daphne sat down next to her.  
  
Lori wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. "You'll probably just think I'm being stupid." She said weakly. Daphne shook her head. "Of course I won't." She said quickly. Lori gave her a strained smile, and took a deep breath. "O.K. Here goes." She began.  
  
"First of all, do you know what a Moyen is?" she asked, looking at Daphne hopefully. One look at her confused face answered the question for her, and Lori's shoulders slumped. "Er.alright then." She said quietly.  
  
"A Moyen is someone- a Witch or Wizard, who can do certain things without a- a wand." Daphne leaned forward with a frown. "Lori, does this have anything to do with." she began, but Lori cut her off with a nod of her head. "It does, honestly. I. it does." She said. Daphne nodded as well and sat back again.  
  
"Anyway, Moyens can do things without wands. I know what you're going to say," She said, holding up her hand to stop Daphne from interrupting her. "But when anyone else does magic without a wand it's sub-conscious, and they can't control it. Moyens can. They know what they're doing." Lori paused, and Daphne took the opportunity to ask a question. "What kind of things can they do?"  
  
"There's six bands for Moyens. Number one is controlling fire, you know- starting it, stopping it, containing it, whatever. Band two is um. explosions. They can start them, any size they want, with whatever they want. It doesn't even have to have fire in it.  
  
Band three is telepathy. They can speak to people through their minds. It's not like reading minds- it's actual talking. Band four is emotional empathy. If someone they're really close to them is in pain, or is really scared or anything like that, they know. They can feel it, or even see it, but only for a second.  
  
Band five is telekinetic abilities. They can move things with their minds. The more powerful they are, the bigger the things they can move. And, Band six, that's healing. If someone has a physical injury, they can heal it without a wand. But healing is rare, because the only Moyens who can do it are the ones who can do everything else"  
  
Lori stopped at the end of this long explanation and looked over at her friend. Daphne was listening hard, but had a slightly bemused expression on her face. She shifted slightly.  
  
"Er, sorry Lori, but what does this have to do with you?" She asked haltingly. Lori opened her mouth to answer, closed it again, and shifted guiltily. Her cheeks turned a dull red colour and she looked anywhere in the room except at Daphne.  
  
Realisation dawned on Daphne suddenly, and her eyes widened with shock. "You, you're a Moyen." She said quietly. Lori slowly nodded her head, staring very hard at her quilt. Daphne sat still for a few moments, watching her friend. Lori was also sitting completely still, and she seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for Daphne to say something. Daphne noticed that she still looked scared, and her eyes kept darting around the room fearfully. Daphne took a deep breath.  
  
"Why were you so scared to tell me?" She asked finally. Lori's eyes darted to the door again, and then she looked up at Daphne, tears in her eyes. "I've known since I was four, and all my life I've." Lori paused, and drew a shuddering breath. "Moyens never tell anyone that they're Moyens. They can be made to do things. If they get put under the Imperius Curse, they, the things they can do."  
  
Daphne frowned. "But who are you scared of? There's no-one that you.oh." Her voice trailed off, as she realised what, and *whom* Lori was getting at. Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Lori looked up at Daphne, her cheeks burning red with shame. "He found out. As I was getting on the Hogwarts Express a fire started, and I. I tried to help with my.my powers. I didn't know he was watching, but he gave me this look, and, and- I've never been so scared in my life."  
  
Lori suddenly started trembling, and Daphne quickly put an arm around her to try and calm her. Everything was making sense now. Lori was a Moyen, and as her father was a Deatheater, that put her in significant danger. No wonder she had been acting so jumpy and distant since coming back to school after Christmas- she must have been terrified that at any minute her father would come for her. Daphne couldn't imagine being scared of her Dad- he was so sweet to her.  
  
Lori was calming down now, and Daphne gave her tight squeeze before releasing her. "Lori." She said calmly. "I won't let anything happen to you. And neither will Dumbledore, or.Hermione, or Harry and Ron. You're safe here." She said, trying to sound confident and reassuring. Lori shook her head sadly. "No. My Dad wrote to me this morning. He said that I. that I had better be ready when he came." She said.  
  
Daphne swallowed. "We'll all be ready. Ready to tell him to shove off." She said fiercely. Lori smiled weakly, but shook her head. "No. There's nothing anyone can do." She said tearfully. Daphne watched as Lori sighed, obviously fighting back tears, trying to be strong, and felt angrier than she had ever done in her life. This shouldn't be happening to Lori- she didn't deserve it.  
  
Daphne racked her brains, trying to think of a way to make her friend feel better. She decided that the truth was probably best.  
  
"Lori, I know I'm not very useful. I'm not as clever as Hermione, or as brave as Harry, or as quick as Ron, or as wise as Dumbledore, but I'm not going anywhere. What you said before, about me leaving you like everyone else does, it really hurt. I don't know what you meant by it but- I just want to say that you're wrong. If anyone tries to hurt you, or take you away, then they're going to have to get past me first, and it won't be easy." She said slowly, making sure Lori caught every word she was saying.  
  
As Daphne spoke, Lori could feel tears brimming over her lids and down her cheeks, but she found she didn't care. Even after all that had happened, even though this day was already one of the worst days of her life, she felt *safe*. She hadn't felt safe in five years.  
  
Daphne sat on the edge of the bed, anxiously studying her friend's tear- streaked face for an answer to her little speech. Suddenly, without warning, Lori smiled broadly and threw her arms around Daphne's neck. Daphne sat in shock for a moment, but then came to her senses and hugged her back tightly.  
  
"Thank you." Lori whispered, her voice now steady. Daphne couldn't help it- she laughed shortly and pulled back from the hug with a grin. "Any time." She said with a shrug. Lori grinned back, but then frowned and bit her lip.  
  
"I'm sorry about all that stuff I said, I didn't mean." She began, but Daphne cut her off with a wave of her hand. "It doesn't matter." She said cheerfully. Lori grinned again, but stopped almost immediately, staring at something over Daphne's shoulder.  
  
"Oh my God." She said in horror. Daphne's insides ran cold, and she spun round to see what had scared Lori so much. There was nothing there. "What?" she asked bemusedly. Lori jumped off of the bed and hurriedly picked up her book bag. "We're twenty minutes late for Potions!" She exclaimed, hastily wiping the last of her tears from her cheeks.  
  
Daphne bit her lip as she looked over at the clock. "Ah." She said. Lori was right- they were very late, and Snape would be sure to kill them. No wonder she had been so scared. "Um.how about we skip it?" She said nervously. Lori spun around to face Daphne, her eyes wide.  
  
"What?" She cried in disbelief. Daphne stood up to face her friend. "Well.there's only twenty minutes left- it's theory today, remember? And we could at least live the rest of the day before Snape murders us." She said reasonably. Lori pulled her hand away from the door handle and shrugged.  
  
"You're right." She said hesitantly. Daphne nodded and reached down to the end of her bed, where a box of chocolate frogs stood on top of her trunk. She picked them up, sat down on the bed and patted the space next to her. "Sit down then." She said to Lori, who rolled her eyes and sat down.  
  
"How can you eat chocolate this early in the morning?" She asked, shaking her head slightly. Daphne grinned wickedly and unwrapped a Chocolate Frog. "Quite easily, actually." She said as she took a bite. Lori rolled her eyes again as Annor sprung up onto the bed next to her, stepping tentatively onto her lap.  
  
Annor wasn't fully-grown quite yet, but was still a lot bigger than she had been when Daphne had brought her to Hogwarts. Lori hadn't really gotten to know the blond cat yet, but now she stroked her head fondly, and Annor began to purr loudly.  
  
Daphne grinned. "Typical. That cat likes everyone better than me." She said. Lori looked up at her with a smile. "Really?" She asked. Daphne nodded. "Yep. Especially Ron, for some reason." She said with an over- exaggerated puzzled expression. Lori grinned. "Crookshanks really likes him as well." She said, smiling down at Annor, who was now curled contentedly in her lap.  
  
Daphne grinned. "Yeah, I know. Ron says that it just proves the phrase 'dumb animals'." She said. Lori laughed, sounding like her old self again. Daphne grinned more widely at hearing Lori laugh again.  
  
"So, what now?" Lori asked, glancing at the clock. They had fifteen minutes to kill. Daphne picked up another Chocolate Frog. "Well, do you mind talking about Moyen stuff?" She asked quietly. Lori smiled. "Alright. I'll explain it all to you." She said. Daphne grinned. "Thanks." She said, sitting back to listen. Lori paused, wondering where to begin.  
  
"Well, um.. those bands I told you about, the things Moyens can do, well, most Moyens can only do one of them. Like starting fires, or telepathy or, whatever. But this classes them as a Moyen."  
  
"How many can you do?" Daphne asked, crinkling a Frog wrapper in her hand. Lori looked down at the floor. "Three." She said quietly. Daphne's eyes widened. "Really?" She asked with interest. "Is that good then?"  
  
Lori sighed. "Depends on how you look at it really." She said uncomfortably. Daphne squirmed. "Sorry." She said quickly. "Er. what can you do?" She asked, trying to change the subject.  
  
"I can start fires, um. move things with my mind, and I'm telepathic as well." She said. Daphne sat up straighter. "Really?" she asked in surprise. Lori looked down at her hands.  
  
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Daphne heard a voice in her head, Lori's voice, speaking clearly.  
  
::Yes::  
  
Daphne stared at her friend, but she hadn't moved. Daphne took a deep breath. "Wow." She said meekly. Lori looked up at her, smiling sadly. "You can talk back you know." She said. Daphne grinned. "OK. Er." Daphne shut her eyes, concentrating hard.  
  
::Can you hear me?:: She asked stupidly, expecting no reply. But then it came.  
  
::Loud and clear:: Daphne started and looked up at Lori, who was watching her with a slight smile. "This is so cool!" Daphne said gleefully. Lori giggled.  
  
"Anyway. what else can you tell me about Moyens?" Daphne said, leaning back again. Lori leaned back against the bedpost and thought for a moment.  
  
"Well, most Moyens, all Moyens really, report to the council. The council is meant to make sure that Moyens are safe, and that they aren't abusing their powers." She said. Daphne frowned. "There's a council?" She asked in surprise. Lori nodded.  
  
"Yeah. Two Moyens from each continent are on the council, and then there's the Head of the council, and at the moment it is Lord McFaye. The council elects the Head, and the council is elected by the Sub-Council, and they're elected by the ordinary Moyens. It sounds complicated, but it isn't really. Anyway, when a Moyen finds out that they are a Moyen, um. they have to be presented by an adult to a member of either the Council or the Sub-Council. Then they are registered."  
  
"Are you-?" Daphne began, but Lori, anticipating her question, shook her head straight away. "No, I've never been presented. I never had an adult I trusted enough to tell, so I couldn't be." She said sadly. Daphne smiled reassuringly at her best friend. "Would you like to be presented?" She asked. Lori looked at her thoughtfully, pausing before she answered.  
  
"I don't know. If I was presented, then I would learn all about my powers, and how to use them properly, I'd know other Moyens; I'd be protected.yeah. Yes, I think I would like to be presented." She finished, staring at the floor. Daphne looked at the ceiling, her hands clenching into fists. She felt like punching whoever had put Lori into such a horrid family. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down.  
  
"Does anyone else know apart from me?" She asked, keeping her voice steady. Lori looked up at Daphne quickly, with a faraway look in her eyes. She blinked, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "Um, yeah. Draco knows." She said quietly, looking at the floor again.  
  
Daphne sat up straight staring at Lori in disbelief. "You told *Draco*?" She said incredulously. Lori looked up at Daphne again, an unreadable expression on her face. "I didn't have to. He was- he was there when I found out." She said.  
  
"Oh." Daphne said quietly, feeling very uneasy. She cleared her throat nervously. "Um.no offence Lori, I know he's your brother and everything, but.wouldn't he have.?"  
  
"Told my Father?" Lori finished for her, smiling weakly. Daphne nodded and Lori sighed slightly. "No, he promised he wouldn't." She said. Daphne snorted, and Lori smiled again, sadly this time. "I know he doesn't seem the kind of person to care about stuff like that, but. well, he promised before, and I know that he won't break it. If he'd found out now, then."  
  
"Huh?" Daphne cut her off, completely baffled. "What are you talking about? Before what?" She said. Lori looked at Daphne and swallowed, looking very downcast again. "Before he changed." She said quietly.  
  
Lori saw the look on Daphne's face and pressed on before she could interrupt. And when she started to speak, she couldn't stop. She'd wanted to say all of it for five years.  
  
"He used to be different. Really different. The only thing that's the same now is the way he looks. That's it." Lori took a deep breath and continued to explain.  
  
"My father used to work for the Ministry. He was, a sort of Ambassador, I'm not really sure what he did exactly. But anyway, he was away from home most of the time- he'd came home for maybe one month a year. My mother, she, well, she doesn't really, really care that much. Her one concern is making sure the manor is run properly. With both my parents pretty much gone, all I had was my older brother. But I was fine with that.  
  
"When there's an age gap of four and a half years, there are two things that can happen. Your brother can ignore you, or he can baby you. Draco *really* babied me. We spent pretty much every day out in the gardens, playing games. Now I think about it, we always used to play really stupid games that I made up. It must have been so boring for him- but Draco never complained once.  
  
When it was too cold out, or raining, we would sit inside, as far away from mother as possible, and read stupid books and play exploding snap. Draco had tutors every morning, but he was the one who taught me how to read and write. We used to make up tongue twisters, and then try them out at dinner to make the house-elves laugh.  
  
"I used to be scared of the dark. Draco was the only one who knew, and so every night he would tuck me in and stay with me until I fell asleep. If there was a storm, he would sometimes stay with me in my room all night, reading me stories to keep my mind off it all.  
  
I always used to get really annoyed when there was a storm, and he'd always tease me about it. He used to say to me that 'I'm surprised that it's the storms that aren't scared of you, Lenori.' Lenori- I've just remembered that. He always called me Lenori. Anyway.  
  
"I was six when Father quit his job. Draco had just turned eleven, and had a few months before he went to Hogwarts. I was dreading it- but I didn't say anything to Draco because I didn't want him worrying about me. I remember the night Father came home as though it was yesterday.  
  
"Draco and me were in the library, playing exploding snap, when he came storming in. He grabbed Draco by the arm and made him stand up, telling him to stop playing stupid games with 'the little brat' and to start acting like a Malfoy. Draco- he said that I wasn't a brat, and then, then Father hit him round the head. Draco was knocked unconscious. I was so scared, but I couldn't do anything because Father wouldn't let me near him. He sent me to my room, and I had to stay up there all night.  
  
"It was the first night Draco wasn't with me when I fell asleep, and so I didn't. I was up all night, with my eyes shut to block out the darkness. It didn't work, because it was just darker. The next day, when I was let out of my room, Draco was in the study with Father, and he was in there all day. It was the same the next day, and the next, and the next.  
  
"It was like that for about a month. Then one night, I was lying there trying to get to sleep when Draco came into my room. He came and sat next to me, and told me he was sorry that he hadn't seen me for the past few weeks. I told him it wasn't his fault, but he looked so, so sad. I fell asleep with him still there, but when I woke up, he and Father had left. They didn't come back for two weeks.  
  
"When he came back, that was it. He was gone completely. Draco ignored me, and if he did decide to talk to me, it was to insult me, or call me a stupid little baby. He never called me Lenori anymore, just Leonora or 'you brat'. Even if no one else was there he acted like that, and I just didn't understand what I'd done wrong.  
  
"After a few weeks I realised that it wasn't me who'd done something wrong, it was him. And Father. I had never *hated* my father before then, but I did after that. He took my brother, and he just, I don't know what he did to him, what he used. I don't know why but he just. changed him. He didn't even sound the same- he never had any feeling in his voice anymore. It was as if Father had just taken it all out of him. He, he killed my brother."  
  
Daphne sat frozen at the end of the bed, unable to think of anything to say. She had watched silently as Lori's face had changed with every new emotion she had felt- how happy she'd been when she was telling her about the old Draco, how scared she had looked when she told her about her Father hitting Draco, how angry she had been at the end.  
  
Daphne felt a tear fall slowly down her cheek, and she suddenly felt a strong desire to hug her best friend. She sat up, and enveloped Lori in her arms. Lori rested her head on her shoulder as she started crying again.  
  
"I just. I just want him back." She said hopelessly. Daphne tightened her arms and tried to stop herself from crying too. She had never dreamed that she would ever feel sorry for Draco Malfoy, but right now she felt like hugging him as well. He must have been through something horrible to make him abandon Lori like that. From what she had just been told, he had really loved his little sister. It must have been awful to act that way toward her all the time.  
  
Lori had calmed down, and Daphne gently released her, smiling encouragingly. "You never know Lori. he might still be there somewhere." She said. Lori wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and smiled sadly. "No, not anymore." She said, shaking her head. "It's been too long, he's changed too much now." She said looking over at the window.  
  
Daphne sighed and glanced at the clock. They had only a few minutes before double charms. "Come on Lori." She said standing up. "We'd better go to Charms." Lori nodded, picking up her bag and swinging it onto her back. As they got to the door, Lori grabbed Daphne's arm.  
  
"You won't tell anyone, will you?" She asked, worriedly biting her lip. Daphne made a cross shape on her chest. "Cross my heart." She said with a smile. Lori smiled back. "Thanks Daph. And thanks for listening to me drone on like that." She said jokingly. Daphne grinned.  
  
"No problem. In fact, we should skip potions more often." She said as they walked out of the dormitory together. Lori laughed. "Don't let Snape hear you say that."  
  
  
  
  
  
Wow, that speech was like, the longest ever in a fanfic. If you're not all too confused, please review, and tell me what you think! (If anyone really doesn't understand what Moyens are, and would like to know more about them, please tell me in your review and I'll email you. It's very important to this story and its sequels that you know what they are.) But tell me in your review if you're emailing me, because otherwise I'll forget to check my emails. 


	22. Attack!

This is where it starts to get serious.  
  
Chapter 22- Attack!  
  
"You know what I said about skipping potions more often? I've changed my mind." Daphne said, pouring pickle juice into a small jar. Lori added the goat's bile, and they both covered their noses and mouths with their sleeves as the foul smell crept over them both. When it had gone slightly, Daphne picked up a pair of tongs, and then, as fast as she could, she opened a container, picked up a dead, rotting mouse, placed it in the jar, and then Lori slammed the lid on and screwed it tight.  
  
It was the fifth pickled mouse they had done that night, and they had about five more to do. Ten doesn't seem like a lot, but the smell of the pickle and bile mixture combined with a rotting animal carcass was enough to make anyone feel, or be, sick. Trust Snape to give them such a lousy detention.  
  
Snape had caught up with them at lunch time in the courtyard- he didn't ask them why they weren't in the lesson and he didn't tell them off, he just handed them yellow detention slips and left. Now stuck in the icy dungeons with dead mice to pickle, Daphne and Lori both wished they had been yelled at instead.  
  
Daphne picked up another jar and opened it. A lingering smell of what had been in the jar before came off with the lid, and as Lori's eyes watered, she said, "I heartily agree."  
  
~*~  
  
"How can he do that?" Hermione asked in disbelief, watching Seamus Finnegan help himself to beef casserole and then cover the whole lot in tomato ketchup. Ron saw what she was looking at and shrugged. "Quite easily. You just pick up the bottle and squeeze."  
  
Harry laughed as Hermione glared at Ron. "Remember what I told you Ron- no sarcastic jokes with Hermione around, it's dangerous." He said.  
  
Hermione and Ron's laughter was drowned out and then caught short, however, by an almighty crash on the other side of the hall. The three of them looked up in alarm to that in the corner of the hall behind the teacher's table was now a huge, gaping hole in the wall, through which an icy chill came in. Every student and teacher was silent, staring at the hole for what seemed like an eternity but what was in actual fact just a few seconds. For, suddenly, through the hole came  
  
"DEATHEATERS!"  
  
The cry rang out from the other end of the Gryffindor table nearest the hole and was almost lost in the screams that rang out throughout the hall as seven cloaked figures entered through the hole. Within minutes the place was in an uproar. Students were running everywhere, screams rang out, teachers were running around through the students, trying to get to the Deatheaters, who in turn were now also running, and different coloured flashes of light were coming from their wands.  
  
Harry grabbed Ron by the scruff of the neck and pulled him under the table. Hermione, sitting opposite, joined them. "What do we do?" Ron asked, horrified that anything like this could actually be happening. "We have to do something." Hermione said desperately.  
  
The screams were louder now- they had to shout to be heard. Harry nodded. "Right, we split up and." Ron and Hermione shook their heads. "No way." They yelled together. Harry rolled his eyes. "Alright, just try and stun them- we want them alive."  
  
Ron looked like he was about to say he disagreed with that statement, but didn't get a chance as Harry was already crawling out through the tablecloth. He and Hermione followed. They straightened up to find they were almost alone- as they were quite near the hole in the wall. They couldn't see any of the Deatheaters lost in the crowd, and students were running in every direction, including a fair few running their way. Chairs were turned over and there was food scattered all over the floor.  
  
A large group of students were gathered at the doors of the Entrance Hall- in their agitation they couldn't get it opened. Harry suddenly spotted three Deatheaters through the crowd, making their way determinedly to that group. "Come on." Harry cried, running towards them.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco Malfoy stood completely still at the Slytherin table, exactly where he had been standing since the first Deatheater had appeared. He knew that he wouldn't be hurt by them- and so he watched as they made their way through the hall.  
  
Draco had spent enough time around Deatheaters in the past five years to know that things weren't going well for them. He also found their attack strategy rather odd- instead of blasting people apart with huge spells like they usually did, they were working their way through the crowd, looking at people. Draco could clearly see Lucius Malfoy doing just that, though he was also stupefying people and knocking them over as he went. Nobody thought to try and stop him.  
  
It was then that Draco noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione running towards three Deatheaters who were approaching a large group by the doors. They looked furious- Draco was sure they'd beat back the Deatheaters. Oh well, it wasn't as if he actually cared.  
  
Just then, Draco felt a rough hand on his shoulder and he was turned around to find a Deatheater standing right next to him. "Where is she?" Draco recognised the voice immediately- McNair. Draco scowled and shrugged his hand off of his shoulder. "Where is who?" He asked feeling confused. They were looking for someone- that made sense, but a girl? Draco had assumed they were here for Potter. Again.  
  
"Your sister. The Moyen." McNair sneered.  
  
Draco felt as if all the wind had been knocked out of him on hearing those four words. *Lucius knew.* Thoughts and feelings rushed through his mind at lightning speed and all came to rest on one sure point. Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Draco turned and walked away from McNair, hurrying instead into the crowd, looking desperately around for Leonora. Her only chance was for him to find her before his father did.  
  
~*~  
  
Lori and Daphne were halfway across the entrance hall when they heard screaming from inside the Great Hall. The doors were closed, so they couldn't see what was causing all the commotion. Their curiosity was satisfied, however, when they heard cries of 'Deatheaters!' followed by even louder screaming.  
  
Lori's hands flew to her mouth to stifle her scream. Daphne stood rooted to the spot, unable to move or even think clearly. She knew very clearly what Deatheaters were, and after this morning, she knew what they were here for as well. Lori turned to Daphne with tears in her eyes. "Daphne I- I have to go in there." She said quietly.  
  
Daphne snapped out of her little world and stared at her best friend. "Are you kidding? You can't go in there!" She cried, grabbing hold of Lori's arm. Lori didn't try to pull free; she just looked at Daphne sadly. "Don't you see Daph? They're here for me, and, and if they can't find me then they'll, they'll hurt people. I can't let that happen." She said, gently prising Daphne's fingers off of her arms.  
  
Then she turned and walked not towards the main doors, but to a door off to the side of the hall. Daphne frowned and followed her. If she was really going to do this, she wasn't going to do it alone. They found themselves in a small, cosy lounge-like room, full of paintings, which the subjects of which had obviously just left in terror.  
  
They ran to the other door, leading to the hall, and after an alohomora charm from Daphne, they were in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. They took it all in in an instant. The terrified students, rushing around haphazardly, the teachers trying desperately to regain control, the deafening screams, and the masked figures prowling among the students.  
  
Lori spotted her father straight away, he was pushing over two girls, who were screaming and trying to run away. Lori felt sick to her stomach watching him, and though she was terrified she knew what she had to do.  
  
Taking out her wand, she ran into the middle of the hall, Daphne hard on her heels. She lifted her wand in the air, and, making sure she was in clear view of her father, she sent showering yellow sparks into the air.  
  
Lori watched as if in slow motion as her father's masked face turned towards her and spotted her. She watched as he spoke to another Deatheater near him and nodded towards her. Feeling sick, she watched as her father walked towards her.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dun, DUN, DUN!!! 


	23. Powers to Practise

Disclaimer- Not mine, but J.K's.  
  
Chapter 23- Powers to Practise  
  
Daphne was also watching Lucius Malfoy walk towards them, but to her it seemed as though everything was in fast-forward. "Come." He said icily, as soon as he was within speaking distance. Daphne saw Lori's hesitation, and it was enough.  
  
"She's not going anywhere." Daphne said a lot more bravely than she felt, stepping in front of Lori as she spoke. She didn't look at Lori, but she could imagine the look of shock on her face.  
  
Daphne couldn't see Lucius Malfoy's face- she had never seen him before and didn't have a clue what he looked like, but she could plainly hear the sneer in his voice as he spoke. "Stupid girl." She watched as he pointed his wand at her, knowing there was nothing she could do about it. "Crucio."  
  
Lori watched as her best friend sank to her knees in front of her, screaming non-stop. It hardly seemed that she was breathing anymore. Daphne's face was screwed up and her hands balled into fists, gripping at her robes. Lori watched in horror for what seemed like hours. She sensed rather than felt the tears running down her cheeks, like she sensed rather than heard her shout Daphne's name. She heard one thing clearly though- the sound of her father's laughter.  
  
Lori's head snapped up.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione soon found that any spells against the Deatheaters were pointless- they seemed to have some kind of protective shield that no one could see, and yet still deflected everything they threw at them. They didn't even notice the curses.  
  
Harry noticed that they were all prowling around the hall with no specific purpose, and was about to tell this to his friends when a high pitched scream, higher than any other sound in the hall, filled the air.  
  
Harry didn't need to able to see to know there was only one thing that could make a person scream like that, and without considering for even a nano-second he ran in the direction of the scream. Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance and ran after him, not knowing what was causing the terrifying scream.  
  
The crowd was starting to thin when Harry suddenly stopped dead, staring at the scene in front of him. Daphne was on the floor, screaming under the Cruciatus curse. Lori was crying her eyes out, staring down at her best friend and unable to do anything.  
  
Suddenly the Deatheater administering the curse started to laugh, and Harry knew who it was- Lucius Malfoy. Before Harry could take another step forward, he saw a change come over Lori. Her head snapped up and the look of helplessness on her face was replaced with one of sheer fury.  
  
"Are you coming Leonora?" Malfoy's voice said in his sneering way. Harry stared. They were here for Lori? Why? Harry suddenly heard a scream behind him. "Daphne!!!" Hermione yelled, tears spilling down her face already at the sight of her cousin under the Cruciatus. "No!" She cried, starting to push through the crowd.  
  
Ron saw what was happening and his eyes widened. "Oh Merlin." He muttered, starting after Hermione, who was already closing in on Lucius Malfoy. Harry hurried after Ron, catching up with him and muttering, so only he could hear; "they're here for Lori."  
  
He and Ron's eyes flickered to where Lori stood staring at her father. Suddenly, without any warning, she lifted her hand as if she swatting a fly that was REALLY annoying her. Harry and Ron watched in disbelief as Lucius Malfoy fell down onto his back as if he'd been pushed over with the force of a car travelling at 90 miles an hour.  
  
Daphne stopped screaming immediately, even though she still lay on the floor, trembling slightly. Lori didn't even spare her father a glance; she dropped down next to Daphne, the fury disappearing from her face. Hermione joined her a second later, dropping next to her cousin and gripping her shoulders.  
  
Harry couldn't hear what she was saying to Daphne but could tell she was still crying. He looked over at Ron who was staring at Lori in shock. He started to push his way over to where Hermione was, and Harry followed him.  
  
~*~  
  
Daphne sat up awkwardly, her entire body aching all over. It took her while to focus. Lori was kneeling next to her, her face streaked with tears but not crying anymore, looking at her with the most worried expression Daphne had ever seen. Until she looked up at Hermione, that is.  
  
"Daphne! Are you OK?" Hermione cried, her tears still streaming down her face. "Say something!" Daphne said the only thing she could think of right then. "Ow." She said feebly. Hermione smiled weakly and gathered Daphne up into a crushing bear hug.  
  
Ron and Harry reached where they were and dropped down next to them. "Are you alright?" Harry asked in concern. Lori nodded, still staring at Daphne, and Daphne tried to nod but found it a bit hard to with Hermione hugging her so tightly.  
  
"You're crushing her Hermione." Harry said, gently prising her off of her cousin. Hermione let go, suddenly looking furious. "No body does that to my cousin." She said, gripping her wand tightly and starting to stand up. "Hermione." Harry said warningly, knowing by the look on her face that she was about to do something drastic.  
  
Before she could, though, they heard a voice behind them say "Crucio" and Lori was suddenly screaming just as Daphne had done a few moments before. Daphne screamed and started to cry at the sight of Lori in so much pain. Hermione immediately turned round and pointed her wand at Lucius Malfoy, who was standing again and pointing his wand at his daughter.  
  
However, before she could say anything and before Harry could raise his wand, Lucius Malfoy was suddenly knocked off his feet with a force about five times greater than what had pushed him over the first time. He flew through the air and crashed against the Hufflepuff table, where he was rendered well and truly unconscious.  
  
Lori stopped screaming and everyone turned their attention to her as she blinked and started to breath in short gasps, tears running down her face. Daphne leant over her. "Are you OK Lori?" She said, almost choking on the words. Lori nodded slowly, struggling to sit up.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing up and watching as the teachers shepherded the students into separate groups and tried to calm them down. They were all standing in a line, advancing towards a group of six Deatheaters, forcing them towards the huge hole in the wall.  
  
At that moment, the double doors of the Great Hall swung open and Dumbledore came into view, his wand in hand and with a furious look on his face. The Deatheaters, having seen him arrive, jumped through the hole they had created, closely pursued by several teachers.  
  
Now the doors were open, there was a mad rush to get out of the hall, and half the student population were out of the Hall within thirty seconds. Harry, Ron and Hermione were still watching what was happening in silence, blocking most things from Daphne' s line of sight. However, from where she sat on the floor next to Lori she had a good view of Lucius Malfoy's unconscious form.  
  
Daphne was just wondering how a father could possibly cause his child so much fear and pain when she noticed a pair of legs next to him. Bending down to see better, she realised with a rush of fear that it was Draco Malfoy. Was he going to revive his Dad? Daphne opened her mouth to say something, but stopped as she watched Draco raise his wand and say something, which she couldn't make out.  
  
There was a faint flash of light around Lucius' body and Draco raised his wand again. This time, Daphne could read what Draco said. 'Stupefy." Daphne watched as Draco Malfoy crouched down next to his father and lifted up his mask with a look of discuss on his face, tossed it to one side so everyone could see who was lying there, and walked away without a backward glance.  
  
Daphne didn't know *what* to think.  
  
  
  
I can't BELIEVE I just uploaded four chapters in the same day! Are you proud of me? 


	24. Aftermath

Disclaimer- not mine!  
  
Chapter 24- Aftermath  
  
Lori and Daphne stood up shakily. There was a dreary silence in the Great Hall, now filled with upturned chairs and with food; plates and cutlery littered all over the floor. All the teachers stood with their wands raised, glancing fearfully around the room. Dumbledore was standing by the doors, surveying the scene. An icy wind blew in through the hole in the wall, making the scorched house tapestries flutter.  
  
Suddenly, the wall behind them, which had been seriously weakened by the impact of whatever had made the hole, began to crumble. Lori and Daphne screamed and flattened themselves on the floor, using their arms to protect their heads. A piece of rock hit Daphne on the wrist and she screamed with pain. They heard Harry yell with pain as well and fall down next to them, followed by Ron and Hermione.  
  
The next thing they knew was that Dumbledore had yelled something; there was a flash of blue light and then silence. The five of them looked up at the wall, which had been about to collapse on top of them to see pieces of falling rock suspended in thin air, frozen by Dumbledore in the middle of falling. On particularly large piece was a foot above Hermione head.  
  
Daphne, Lori and Hermione stood up shakily. Daphne held her wrist to her chest. It seemed a little flatter than it should be, but was swelling and turning blue as she looked at it. And it really hurt. Ron and Harry were still sitting on the floor, looking at Harry's foot. A piece of rock had fallen on it, and it was bleeding badly and also swelling to twice its side. Ron had a nasty cut on his head.  
  
Hermione turned to Daphne and Lori worriedly. "Are you two OK?" She asked. Lori nodded mutely. Daphne held out her arm. "I've hurt my wrist." She said helplessly. Daphne hated acting childish, but right now all she wanted was to be babied. Hermione smiled at her cousin. "We'll sort that out alright." She said softly, tucking Daphne's hair behind her ears.  
  
Lori gasped. "Hermione- your arm!" she said, pointing at her. Hermione's left arm had a long, nasty cut on it, which was pouring blood down on to her hand. Hermione's eyes widened as she observed the cut; she hadn't even noticed it. Silently, she wrapped her sleeve around it and held it tightly.  
  
Ron and Harry stood up at this point, still looking around at the debris. The other people in the hall were also beginning to stand up and come to life again- and all of them looked shocked and scared. Ron's head was still bleeding, and he was helping Harry to regain his balance on his foot, which was also bleeding badly.  
  
Harry looked up. "Hospital Wing anyone?" He said. Hermione nodded, and put an arm each around Daphne and Lori, beginning to steer them out of the hall.  
  
"Ron!" Ron spun around to see Ginny's best friend, Lisa Burbank, running towards them looking distraught. She skidded to a halt in front of Ron, trying to get her breath. "Ron, Ginny, she's hurt." Ron went pale. "Where is she?" He demanded. Lisa pointed across the hall to where Colin Creevey was bending down over something.  
  
Ron ran off so quickly that Harry almost fell over, but Hermione caught him before he did. Her and Harry made their way across the hall after Ron, as quickly as they could with Harry limping unsteadily.  
  
Ginny was lying on the floor, looking as if she was sleeping soundly. Ron kneeled down next to her, where Colin was trying to wake her up. "She's been stunned." Ron said, pulling out his wand and pointing it has his sister. "Enervate." He said, as Harry and Hermione hobbled over. "Is she alright?" Harry asked, leaning on the Ravenclaw table. Ginny's eyes fluttered open and she groaned. Ron leant over her. "Ginny?" He said urgently. Ginny looked up at Ron dazedly. "Ron?" She said. She shook her head slightly, and tried to sit up. "Ow!" She cried, reaching for her ankle. It was swollen badly, and bent at a nasty angle.  
  
Ginny swore under her breath. "Ow." She said again, her eyes filling with tears. She looked up at Ron and her eyes widened. "What happened to your head?" She asked worriedly. Ron rolled his eyes. "I'm fine." He said, sitting back on his heels. "We need to get you to the Hospital Wing." He added.  
  
Ginny nodded. "OK. Help me up." She said, putting her hand on his shoulder. She started to get up, but fell back down again. "Damn it." She said, trying again. She was almost standing up, when Ron lost patience, bent down, and picked her up instead. Ginny wasn't going without a struggle though.  
  
"Ron!" She cried, hitting him hard on the arm. "Ron, I can walk you know!" She said in annoyance. "Hermione, help!" She said, looking over Ron's shoulder. Hermione shrugged helplessly at Ginny as her and Harry began to follow again.  
  
Ginny noticed Harry had hurt his foot, and turned back to Ron. "Harry's limping- why don't you carry him instead?" She demanded. Ron glared at her. "Shut up." He said sternly. And she did. By this time they had reached Daphne and Lori again, who were standing awkwardly wondering what to do.  
  
Ron and Ginny led the way out of the hall, and over to the marble staircase. The entrance hall was also littered with people's dropped bags and bits of food, with they all had to avoid carefully.  
  
If Ginny had thought that her brother would put her down when they got to the staircase, she was sorely mistaken. He walked up them without any trouble, and she was left to just sitting there like an invalid. Even though she was secretly enjoying the attention Ron was giving her.  
  
They all reached the Hospital Wing corridor after about five minutes, and there panic stricken students held them up, all looking around in terror. None of them seemed to be injured at all- they just didn't know where to go. Ron and Harry were starting to get annoyed, and Ginny was starting to get very bored, when Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified, rang through the school.  
  
"All students who are not injured to go to bed immediately. All others report to Hospital wing. Only SERIOUS ailments please."  
  
Ron, (and Ginny), Harry, Hermione, Lisa, Daphne and Lori jumped to the side of the corridor as the crowd turned on their heels and stampeded towards their prospective common rooms, glad to have somewhere to go. This left their way relatively clear, with only a few people making their way into the wing. The truth was not many people had actually been seriously injured in the attack, thank Merlin.  
  
There were only about five people in the Hospital Wing so far when the group entered. Much to her relief, Ron set Ginny down straight away, and everyone gathered around her bed, while Harry sat down on the one next to it. His foot was still badly bleeding, and he was finding it difficult to walk. They had only just sat down, when many more people arrived, all of them with cuts and grazes.  
  
Madam Pomfrey was rushed off her feet. She was running round the Wing, healing bones, putting sticky orange goo on burns, and completely ignoring those with cuts- except for pointing in the direction of the bottles holding the pink liquid that healed them. Finally, she got to where Ginny was sitting.  
  
Madam Pomfrey examined Ginny's foot while muttering angrily to herself. She raised her wand and directed it at her foot, healing it instantly. She healed Daphne's wrist equally quickly and Harry was also cured within seconds before she moved onto the next students.  
  
Hermione had fetched a bottle of pink liquid and she and Ron used paper towels to heal their various cuts and scratches. More and more students were coming into the Hospital Wing, most of them keeping their injured friends company, so the group hurried out of the room.  
  
Lori was looking very white, and Daphne made her stand still, concerned. "What's wrong Lori?" She asked. On closer inspection, Lori was almost crying. She lowered her voice. "It's all my fault. All those people are injured because of me." She said, tears spilling down her cheeks.  
  
Daphne sighed and put her arm around Lori, who could not stop crying now she had started. Harry, Hermione and Ron came over, also looking concerned. "Lori it's over- there's no need to cry." Hermione said soothingly, also putting an arm around her. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance- Harry didn't know why the Deatheaters had been there for Lori, but he was sure that's why she was now crying.  
  
Lori shook her head, still crying. "No, I know, but it's." Her words were lost in a fresh wave of sobs. Finally, as the sobs subsided, she managed to say; "I just want to be alone."  
  
Hermione looked very alarmed by this. "No one should be alone right now Lori. It could be dangerous." She said. "Just come back to the common room and."  
  
Lori shook her head, fresh tears forming in her eyes. "I *can't*" She said desperately, stepping back. Hermione looked like she was about to say something else but Ron cut across her. "How about the Prefects' bathroom?" He asked Lori, who looked at him hopefully.  
  
"You know that statue of Boris the Bewildered on the firth floor?" Lori nodded. "It's the fourth door to the left of that. The password is 'mild green'." He told her. Before anyone could say another word, Lori ran off up the stairs, still crying.  
  
Hermione rounded on Ron immediately. "HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!" She yelled at him angrily. "SHE SHOULDN'T BE ALONE RIGHT NOW! IF SOMETHING HAP-" Ron clamped a hand over Hermione's mouth to stop her yelling. Daphne stepped forward quickly. "Er, Ron I wouldn't."  
  
"Aggh!" Ron yelled, pulling his hand back. "You bit me!" He accused Hermione, half way between fury and disbelief. Hermione eyed him coldly and Daphne sighed. "She always does that. I did try to warn you." She said. Ron rubbed his hand and scowled. "Yeah, well, Lori *does* need to be alone right now. Daphne knows that, don't you?"  
  
He looked at Daphne, who nodded. Hermione frowned. "Why?" She asked. Ron looked over his shoulder at the students still milling around the Hospital Wing. Harry pushed open the door of an empty classroom and beckoned them all into it. Ginny and Lisa had hurried up to Gryffindor tower as soon as they'd got out of the Hospital Wing.  
  
When the four of them were in private, Ron turned to Hermione. "They were here for Lori." He said, straight to the point. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right." She said. Daphne meanwhile, was staring between Ron and Harry. "How did you know that?" She asked in disbelief.  
  
Hermione rounded on her cousin. "You mean it's *true*?" She gasped. Daphne swallowed, and then nodded. Harry sat down on a desk. "I heard Lucius Malfoy say so when he had you under the Cruciatus." He told Daphne, in answer to her question. Daphne looked down at the floor, knowing it was best to keep her mouth shut. She could almost hear the questions forming in their brains.  
  
"Why would they be here for Lori?" Hermione asked first. Harry shrugged, as did Daphne. Ron narrowed his eyes. "Daphne knows." He said simply. Three pairs of eyes stared at her as Daphne lifted her head. "No I don't." She said in a small voice that she knew sounded very unconvincing. She didn't like being interrogated like this, not one bit.  
  
Ron lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, you do." He said. Daphne didn't answer, and looked back down at the floor again. Ron folded his arms. "How many other people know?" He asked her. Daphne didn't look up, but she was shocked. *He knew*. But how? Maybe he didn't know.but, but, oh, Lori would be so mad."  
  
"Alright, you're not going to answer. Come on, let's get back up to Gryffindor." Ron said finally, heading towards the door. Harry and Hermione went after him, very confused. "What are you talking about?" Hermione asked curiously. Ron looked back at Daphne. "We'll have to ask Lori. Daphne's obviously promised she wouldn't tell anyone." He answered cryptically.  
  
Daphne shot Ron a pleading look and he shrugged. Harry and Hermione frowned. "What?" Harry asked. Ron ignored him. "C'mon, our bags are still in the hall." He said, starting down the stairs. Harry and Hermione exchanged baffled looks but followed their confusing friend down the staircase towards the Great Hall, Daphne walking slowly behind them, lost in her own thoughts.  
  
  
  
  
  
Please review! 


	25. Explanations

Disclaimer- not mine!  
  
Chapter 25- Explanations.  
  
After retrieving their bags from a large pile of student's belongings that had been placed in the entrance hall the four of them all decided to return to Gryffindor tower. They were just starting to climb the marble staircase when they heard hurried footsteps coming towards them. They all turned around to see Draco Malfoy running across the hall.  
  
He skidded to a halt at the foot of the stairs. Harry and Ron immediately placed their hands in their pockets, ready to pull out their wands if necessary. Draco noticed this and held up his hands as if in a surrender.  
  
"I'm not going to do anything, I swear." He said hastily. Hermione folded her arms. "What do you want?" She asked coldly. Draco's cheeks turned very slightly pink. "Er, do you know where Leonora is?" He asked them.  
  
Harry snorted. "Why do *you* care?" He asked scathingly. Draco's head whipped up to glare at Harry. "She's my sister." He said angrily.  
  
Ron folded his arms as well and glared back at Draco. "Yeah. Was there ever a time when you knew what that meant?" He asked. Draco looked as if he was going to answer for a moment. Then he just looked at the floor. "Forget it." He muttered, turning and walking away.  
  
"That was strange." Hermione stated as they began to walk up the stairs again. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement. Daphne, however, stood still on the step, watching Draco walk away. His shoulders were slumped, his hands were in his pockets and he looked lost. Daphne made up her mind.  
  
"Draco!"  
  
Draco turned around as Daphne came running towards him, the surprise evident all over his face. "What do you want?" He asked warily, glaring at her. Daphne rolled her eyes.  
  
"Cut the crap Draco." She said sternly, folding her arms. Draco started. "Lori's in the prefects' bathroom. Fourth door to the, um, I think it's the left, of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor. The password's 'mild green'." She said.  
  
Draco stood staring at Daphne in shock, shock that almost immediately followed by suspicion. "Why are you telling me?" He demanded. Daphne's expression softened.  
  
"Because I can tell you miss her as much as she misses you." She said quietly.  
  
Draco felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. *Daphne knew*. Lori must have told her- and she, *missed* him. Seriously? Daphne turned to walk away, but something inside Draco forced. "Wait, I-" Daphne turned around expectantly, and Draco swallowed. "Thank you" He managed to say.  
  
Daphne grimaced. "Ooh, that sounded painful!" She teased. No one had spoken to him like that for five years, and Draco almost, ALMOST, laughed.  
  
"Seriously though." Daphne said, her face turning serious as she took a step towards him. "If you hurt her again, I will make you life a living hell, and I'm not even *close* to joking." She poked him in the chest, and Draco took an involuntary step back. "Got that?" She demanded.  
  
Draco swallowed and nodded. "Got it." And he did- it was pretty easy to tell she was deadly serious. Daphne now looked at him questioningly. "Well?" She demanded. "What are you waiting for? Go on!"  
  
Draco jumped slightly as Daphne barked her order, and then hurried over to the staircase, past a shocked Ron, Harry and Hermione and towards the fifth corridor, taking the steps tow at a time.  
  
Daphne walked back to her cousin and her friends, and began to walk up the staircase as if nothing had happened. Harry stared at her. "What did you do that for?" He demanded. Daphne didn't stop walking. "Because it's the best thing for both of them." Was the only answer she would give, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione very confused.  
  
~*~  
  
Lori sat on the edge of the huge bathtub, her legs dangling over the edge, shivering all over. It wasn't that she was cold- far from it in fact; it was a mixture of fear, anxiety, and most of all shame. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the picture of the Great Hall out of her mind. The debris, the screams, the Deatheaters everywhere, the looks of terror on her peers' faces, the image of Daphne rolling around on the floor, screaming in pain from the Cruciatus curse. It was all her fault.  
  
Lori jumped as a clap of thunder sounded from outside. She pressed her hands to her ears frantically, resting her chin on her knees and screwing her eyes tight shut. She shook her head, desperate to block out the noise of the storm. It was the only thing that could make her feel worse right now.  
  
~*~  
  
Draco reached the bathroom within a minute. He was out of breath from running that far and fast, so he leant against the wall to regain his composure, clutching a stitch in his side. As his breathing slowed down, his heart rate sped up. What on Earth was he going to say to her? He hadn't spoken properly to Leonora for five years- he'd been lying for a third of his life. Draco didn't even know who his sister was anymore.  
  
A loud clap of thunder snapped Draco out of his thoughts, and he automatically found himself hoping that Leonora hadn't heard it. She hated storms, and she'd be feeling bad enough all ready tonight.  
  
Draco looked at the door to the bathroom, a tight feeling in his throat. He remembered back to when he was younger, when he used to stay with Leonora during storms, trying to keep her mind off of them. He remembered how she used to look up to him, but was never too scared to put him in his place. He remembered how much he had missed her when Lucius came back- when he'd been stuck in the study all day, learning dark arts and 'Malfoy etiquette'.  
  
Then he remembered what had happened during that fortnight away, and his mind was made up. Squaring his shoulders, Draco stepped away from the wall. "Mild green" He said firmly. The door swung open silently, and, taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.  
  
Leonora was sitting by the side of what looked like an empty swimming pool, hugging her knees and trying to cover her ears at the same time. She hadn't noticed him come in. Draco's first instinct was to run over to her and give her a hug- he'd never been scared to do that before. But he knew that he would have to explain first. She still hadn't noticed him. Well, he had to start somewhere. Feeling quite nervous, Draco cleared his throat.  
  
Lori's head snapped up when she heard the sound, petrified. She knew immediately who it was- but the knowledge didn't make her feel any better. She swallowed, not looking up at her brother. "What are you doing here?" She asked in a whisper. She heard Draco sit down next to her, and swallowed again.  
  
"I wanted to make sure you were OK." He said quietly. Lori hugged her knees tighter. "I'm fine." She said stiffly. "Oh." She heard Draco say. There was a silence, broke suddenly by a huge clap of thunder. Lori jumped in the air, and pressed her forehead down on her knees, trying to block everything out. As Draco watched her, he knew what he had to say. It was so simple.  
  
"I'm surprised the storm isn't afraid of you, Lenori." He said softly. Lori's eyes flew open, and she turned her head to look at her brother. Really look at him. And that was when she realised.  
  
It was him.  
  
"D, Draco?" She stammered. "Is that you?" She sat up, staring openly at him. Draco smiled slightly. "Who else would it be?" He asked. Then he sighed. "I'm so sorry." He said, looking straight at her. Lori felt her breath catch in her throat. He was back. This was the old Draco- she could tell by his voice, his stature, and the look in his eyes. Tears started to form again in her eyes.  
  
Noticing this, Draco continued in a hurry. "I never meant it- I swear I didn't. It was Lucius, he." Draco stopped, seeing that his sister was very confused. He was going to have to explain from the very beginning, and boy did she deserve an explanation.  
  
"Do you remember when Lucius came back? When you were six?" He asked. Lori nodded. "Of course I do." She whispered. Draco nodded as well. "Well, you remember how he used to have me in his study every day?" Lori nodded again.  
  
"He was teaching me how to be a Malfoy. I had always thought that he was a bit strange, but by the end of the first day I knew he was completely crazy. All he talked about was Muggle-borns, impure wizards, how to put people down and all kinds of other stupid things. I didn't believe any of it, and Lucius knew it. He was getting panicked, I can tell you."  
  
"Why?" Lori asked curiously. Draco smiled again. "Because if his only son didn't believe in the Malfoy values, then the entire Malfoy family would be pretty much destroyed. In his opinion. He tried everything- he threatened to torture the house-elves in front of me, he threatened to torture me, he even threatened mother. But I didn't budge. Then, then he."  
  
Draco trailed off, and Lori sat up a bit straighter. "What? How did he make you change?" She asked. Draco stared down at his feet. "He did what all hunters do. He found my weakness."  
  
"*You* have a weakness?" Lori asked dubiously. Draco shrugged. "Of course I do." He replied. Lori frowned. "What?" She asked.  
  
Draco shrugged, still staring down at his feet. "Do you remember he took me away for a couple of weeks?" Lori nodded again and Draco continued. "Well, he took me to a big, remote house somewhere in the countryside. I think it might have been Wales. Anyway, what he did, every day, was tie me to a chair in a room and gag me so I couldn't speak. Then he'd, he, well, he tortured.tortured Muggles in front of me. I couldn't do anything to stop him and the others- I just had to sit there and watch.  
  
"The things they did were.disgusting. It was sickening to watch. And then, when he told me that he'd do the same to *you* if I didn't, didn't."  
  
Lori gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. It was because of *her*. All these years and. Lori started to cry again, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. Draco looked at her, alarmed. "Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry!" She said, hugging her brother tightly.  
  
Draco sat still, unsure what to do. Finally he came to his senses and put his arm around Lori, trying to came her down. "It's me who should be sorry Leonora." He said when her crying had calmed down a bit. "And I am, I really am."  
  
Lori pulled away, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. "No, there was nothing you could have done." She said. Draco also shook his head. "No, I should have found some way to." Lori cut him off. "It doesn't matter now." She told him firmly.  
  
Draco nodded. "You're right. It doesn't." Lori smiled, still teary-eyed. There was a couple of moments' silence, which was broken by Lori. "How did you know where to find me?" She asked curiously. Draco looked at her. "Your friend Daphne told me." He told her.  
  
Lori's eyes widened. "*Daphne?* Why?" She asked. Draco shrugged. "I asked her." He said. Lori shook her head with a small smile. "She is going to be insufferable. She'll be saying 'I told you so' for the next month at least." She said.  
  
Draco smiled weakly. "Your lucky to have a friend who cares about you so much." He told her. Lori nodded in agreement. "I know." She said. "Do you know that in the Hall, earlier, she actually *stood up to father* for me?"  
  
Draco's eyes widened. "She stood up to Lucius? That is quite amazing." He said dryly. Lori placed her head on her knees and looked at her brother. "When did you start calling him Lucius?" She asked. Draco shrugged. "About a year ago. I haven't called him Father to his face for five years though." He told her.  
  
"So, does Daphne know about you?" He asked her. Lori turned pink. "Yes." She said quietly. "Anyone else?" Draco asked and Lori shook her head as another, particularly loud clap of thunder sounded, making her jump.  
  
Draco rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to go outside and tell the storm to shut up?" He asked her. Lori grinned. "It's good to have you back Draco." She said.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Well I'm glad that Maddy wanted the old Draco back. Someone agrees with me!!!  
  
Alright Michelle, I know you're going to kill me for 'spoiling' Draco, but it's my story, so there's nothing you can do about it! HA HA HA!!! Anywho, I'd just like to say that I don't actually think this kind of thing would REALLY happen in the books, but it fitted in with this story, and as I said before, it's mine! 


	26. Introductions

Disclaimer- all Harry Potter type things belong to J. K. Rowling.  
  
Chapter 26- Introductions  
  
"Shouldn't we go and get her? It's getting on for eleven." Hermione said, looking at her watch to emphasise the point. She, Ron, Harry and Daphne were standing outside Gryffindor tower, waiting for Lori to come back up. There were lots of people in the common room- they wanted to be somewhere quiet, where they could speak to Lori before she could avoid them.  
  
Daphne shook her head stubbornly in answer to Hermione's question. "No. They need time to set things straight. Besides, Draco's her brother- he's not going to hurt her." Ron snorted. "You weren't saying that at Christmas." He said. Daphne shrugged. "I am now." She told him.  
  
"And since when did you start calling him 'Draco'? What's going on?" Harry demanded. Daphne sighed impatiently. She had been asked these questions by all three of them at least a hundred times in the past hour. "Since today and you'll see." She answered. Again.  
  
"Has this got something to do with you speaking to him earlier?" Hermione asked. Again. "Yes, it has. But I'll let Lori tell you the rest- I don't know for sure what's going on." Daphne told her cousin, trying to be patient with her and her friends. She knew it must be hard for them to understand- they had ALWAYS disliked Draco Malfoy. "Yes, but-" Hermione began again, but thankfully, footsteps cut her off.  
  
A second later, Lori appeared round the corner, a huge grin on her face and looking happier than any of them had ever seen her since, well, ever. She spotted them and grinned, if possible, even wider. "Hi! Isn't it a great night? I know that you're all probably really confused, but I'll explain. First, though, my brother wants to say something. Right Dr-?"  
  
Lori's voice trailed off when she looked over her shoulder and realised that her brother was nowhere to be seen. She rolled her eyes and disappeared round the corner again. Before any of them could say anything, they heard her running, and then her voice, sounding annoyed. "Come *on* Draco!" She said. Then they heard Draco Malfoy's voice as well.  
  
"No. No way."  
  
"You said you would."  
  
"I know I did. But I *can't*."  
  
"Yes you *can*."  
  
"No- Leonora, you don't understand- I just can't. It's not like they'll forgive me anyway."  
  
"Oh don't be ridiculous. Of course they will." (Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged very confused glances.)  
  
"They won't!"  
  
"Yes they WILL! Now come on!"  
  
"No- you can't make me!"  
  
Lori's voice changed from annoyed to quiet and understanding. "You're right, Draco and I'm not going to try. Fine, don't say anything. That's fine. I only hope that's fine with you."  
  
"It is."  
  
"Good. So next time you pass Hermione in the hall and you remembered all those horrible things you said about her and all those times you called her the 'M' word, I'm glad you'll be fine with it."  
  
"Leonora."  
  
"And when you sit behind Ron in Potions and you think of all the times you were mean to his family, I'm glad you'll be fine with that too."  
  
"Stop it Leonor-"  
  
"And I'm *so* glad that when you next see Harry and all those things you ever said to him about his parents and all the things he has to put up with come flooding back, I'm glad that you'll."  
  
"ALRIGHT! ENOUGH ALREADY! Bloody hell."  
  
"Are you ready now?"  
  
"*Yes*."  
  
"Good, come on then."  
  
A moment later Lori reappeared round the corner, looking very pleased with herself, with Draco following her, staring pointedly at the wall as he walked along. They stopped just in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were watching then draw nearer with incredibly confused expressions on their faces. Daphne stood slightly to one side and watched with interest. Draco was still staring at the wall, so Lori nudged him in the ribs. He looked at her, then at the floor, and finally looked up, straight at Hermione.  
  
"Hermione, I'm sorry about all the times I ever called you a Mudblood or made fun of you, or, well, anything. And I'm *really* sorry about that time when I tried to strangle you- I wouldn't have, you know, killed you but, well, my Father, if I hadn't done anything he. oh, Leonora can explain it. Anyway, you probably don't believe this, but I really don't care whether people or Muggle-born or not, and you prove everyone who does wrong- your grades speak for themselves." Hermione stared flabbergasted at Draco as he turned to Harry.  
  
"Harry, I'm sorry about everything I ever said about you, or your parents, or anything I said, or did, to you that annoyed you. I didn't mean any of it and I hated having to say it. I've been brought up by my parents to hate lots of people in this school, especially you, but I really don't. And, well, I actually respect you quite a bit." He said calmly. Harry stared, his face a perfect mirror image of Hermione's as Draco turned to Ron. Ron was staring at Draco very apprehensively, and looked like he was about to back away.  
  
"I didn't mean anything I ever said about you or your family Ron. *I* don't have anything against you but my father, he, well, Leonora will explain it. I also don't hold it against you for breaking my jaw in three places- I probably would have done the same, and I hope your Dad wins the election. I really do." Draco, having finished his speech and left three people lost for words, turned to his sister.  
  
"I'd better go now." He said, avoiding looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were still staring at him. Lori grinned. "OK, I'll see you at breakfast." She said. "Well done Draco, that was good." Draco gave her a small smile, nodded at Daphne, who gave him a big double thumbs-up, and walked off down the corridor as fast as he could without actually running.  
  
There was silence for a couple of seconds, finally broken by Harry. "I'm dreaming." He said, in a quiet voice. "That did not just happen. This is a very, *very* weird dream." Harry was still staring down the corridor with wide eyes, as was Ron, who spoke next. "That's it, I've finally cracked. Now I'm hallucinating." He said. There was another silence, during which Lori tried to think of something to say to wake them up. Luckily, Hermione did it for her.  
  
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS GOING ON?!?" She suddenly shouted, pulling Harry and Ron out of their trances at once, their heads snapping round to look at her. "Hermione, did you just *curse*?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Hermione, suddenly having realised what she'd said, turned slightly pink. "No." She said quickly. Ron was laughing loudly by now, his satisfaction very evident.  
  
"This is priceless!" He managed to choke out, before Hermione turned on her heel, gave the password to the Fat Lady (Flibbertigibbet), who had been watching what had happened very closely, and entered the common room. Harry and Ron followed her, Ron still laughing, and Daphne just had time to hug Lori and say; "I'm really proud of you!" before they climbed through as well.  
  
By now the common room was empty- everyone had been so shaken by the events at dinner that they just wanted to sit in their comfortable, familiar dormitories and try to forget that anything was wrong with the world. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Daphne and Lori sat down by the fire, dragging two sofas and an armchair closer together so they could talk properly.  
  
The first thing Lori did was tell them everything she had told Daphne that morning about Draco, and then all about what he had told her in the past hour, and how he was back again. Harry, Ron and Hermione listened in silence, trying to take it all in and looking very shocked, while Daphne sat on the sofa next to Lori, her face a picture of smugness. She waited for Lori to finish telling her unusual story and then finally, it seemed, couldn't hold it in any longer.  
  
"I told you so!" She burst out happily. "I told you that there had to be some reason he changed like that- and I also told you that he was still in there! Did you believe me? No! But I was right!"  
  
Ron sniggered. "You sound like Hermione." He said, earning a very annoyed look from her and Daphne. Harry found it funny though. Lori smiled sheepishly at Daphne. "I know." She said. "You were right. Well done to you." She said generously. Daphne beamed and sat back in her seat.  
  
"I still don't believe it though." Harry said. Hermione nodded. "I know what you mean." She said. "All those times he's said anything, ANYTHING, he was pretending. It must have been so hard to keep that up for so long." Harry shook his head. "No, I mean I don't believe that he actually came up to us and apologised. Now THAT shows guts." He said. Hermione and Daphne grinned and nodded. Lori smiled and shrugged. "Well, I thought that he should." She said sheepishly.  
  
"So," Ron said, folding his arms and sitting back. "I saw that little Moyen trick you pulled in there. It was impressive." He said. Lori's eyes widened in shock and she turned to Daphne, hurt all over her face. "How could you?" She hissed. Daphne held up her hands quickly. "I didn't say anything, honestly!"  
  
"She didn't, I figured it out by myself." Ron said. Lori turned back to him, looking at him pleadingly. "Ron, please don't."  
  
Ron cut her off. "It's safe to tell us you know. We're not going to spread it around or anything." He said. Lori swallowed and nodded. "Yeah, I know." She said quietly. Hermione, who had staring at Lori since Ron had first spoken. "You're a *Moyen*? She now asked in disbelief.  
  
Lori nodded glumly and Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Wow." She said faintly. Harry was looking very confused. "What are you all *talking* about? What's a Moyen?" He demanded. Ron opened his mouth to answer but Hermione cut across him and began to explain, in great depth, what a Moyen was.  
  
Ten minutes later, when Hermione was explaining the role of the council in finer detail, Harry suddenly spoke. "So, you used your telekinetic powers to push over Lucius Malfoy?" He asked Lori. Lori nodded and Harry raised his eyebrows. "Cool." He said simply. "But how did you manage to do it under the Cruciatus?" He asked curiously.  
  
Lori frowned. "I didn't." She said in some confusion. Hermione frowned as well. "You must have. He was pushed over again, and that's why your curse didn't last too long." She said. Lori frowned even more. "I didn't. I would have known." She said.  
  
"There must be another Moyen." Daphne said. Everyone stared at her and she shifted a bit. "Well, if it wasn't Lori, than it must have been someone else." She said reasonably. Hermione nodded. "I agree with Daphne. But it must be a teacher." She said.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Harry asked. Hermione thought for a moment and then began to speak. "Well, think about it. That second push was very strong- he flew halfway across the room. For a Moyen to have that kind of power they must have had a fair bit of training, and so is most likely an adult. And the only adults at Hogwarts are the teachers." She explained reasonably.  
  
"True." Ron said, shrugging. Harry leaned forward, the spark of mystery in his eyes. "Who d'you think it is?" He asked. "Filch" Ron said, making Harry and Hermione burst out laughing. Daphne and Lori frowned. "What?" They asked at the same time.  
  
The five of them sat there discussing everything until at least one in the morning, when Professor McGonagall came to check on the tower and demanded they all go to bed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Oooh- mystery. Mwah-ha-ha!!!! Please review! 


	27. Gryffindor v Ravenclaw

Disclaimer- Not mine.  
  
Chapter 27- Gryffindor v Ravenclaw  
  
After everyone had stopped talking about the attack three weeks ago, they had found a new topic of conversation- Draco Malfoy. He had suddenly started acting very strangely, which nobody in the school failed to notice. He didn't talk to any of the Slytherins anymore; and he had insulted no one in three weeks. When several Ravenclaw seventh years had made some snide remarks about his father, who had been caught and was currently in Azkaban, he actually laughed and agreed with them.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle, who were usually found wherever Draco was, were now to be found wandering around aimlessly as if they didn't know what to do with themselves. If they got within three feet of Draco, he would tell them where to get off. And, one potions lesson, he had actually backed up Seamus Finnegan when he had been claiming that it was Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode who had been talking, not he and Dean Thomas.  
  
The only person Draco Malfoy had been seen talking to properly was his sister, Leonora, who was seen with him most of the time, and Daphne Granger, who was always with her. There was much talk about the future of the Malfoy children- a week after the arrest of Lucius Malfoy, it was discovered that their mother, Narcissa, had ran away without a trace.  
  
Draco and Leonora didn't seem to mind too much that their mother had just up and left them, what they were worried about was what would happen to them during the summer holidays. Where would they go? However, nobody seemed to know.  
  
The occasion that probably sparked the most rumour, however, happened about two weeks after the attack, in the library. Ron Weasley had just been walking through the door when he bumped into Draco with a loud, painful sounding thud. The audience (students supposed to be working in the library) waited with bated breath for a fight to begin. However, what they got was a conversation that went something like this:  
  
"Sorry Ron."  
  
"No- sorry, it was my fault, didn't watch where I was going."  
  
"No problem. See you later."  
  
"Bye."  
  
The story was around the school within hours.  
  
With all these rumours flying around, no one was very surprised to see that when Gryffindor played Ravenclaw, Draco was sitting with his sister in a stand that held a lot of Gryffindors.  
  
"How long has it been now?" Daphne asked, rubbing her hands together for warmth. It was a freezing cold, windy February Saturday, but the entire school had turned out for the match. If Gryffindor won, they would win the Quidditch cup for the second year, and if they lost, it was Slytherin's. The match was one of the longest many of the students had ever seen played at Hogwarts. The score was 560 to 130, in favour of Gryffindor, but there hadn't been any sign of the snitch the entire match.  
  
"Almost two and a half hours now." Hermione answered, quickly stuffing her hand back into her pocket after looking at her watch. Her newspaper, which she had had delivered just before the match started and she had, for some reason, brought down to the match with her, was sticking out of the pocket.  
  
"Is this match ever going to end?" Lori grumbled, wrapping her scarf more tightly round her neck. "Oh, come on!" Hermione suddenly said, shifting from one foot to the other. She seemed very eager for this match to finish, though she told no one why. Lori sighed. "I this match ever going to end?" She repeated.  
  
"Stop complaining." Draco said. He was sitting with his feet up on the seat in front of him, trying not to listen to the three girls moan about the best game in the World. He didn't seem to be cheering for either side, though if Gryffindor lost he would be among the team to win. When Daphne pointed this out to him, he just shrugged.  
  
"I don't really care if we win to tell the truth- I'm being re-sorted next year." He said. Daphne, Lori and Hermione all stopped watching the game to stare at him instead. "You're what?" Lori gasped. Draco shrugged again. "Well, Dumbledore knows that I was only put in Slytherin because I demanded to be as soon as the hat touched my head."  
  
"That's true." Hermione said, nodding. "I remember you being sorted- the hat had barely skimmed your hair before it shouted Slytherin." Draco nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and Dumbledore says that the hat's been grumbling about me for the past five years, about how I'm not Slytherin material, so he's decided I can be re-sorted."  
  
There was suddenly a loud gasp and all the Gryffindors jumped to their feet. Hermione, Daphne, Lori and Draco jumped up to find out what was going on and saw Harry diving steeply in the middle of the pitch, the Ravenclaw seeker, Cho Chang, hard on his heels. The rest of the players had stopped playing to watch what was happening as the next moment Harry tumbled off his broom, feet from the ground, the Golden Snitch in his hand.  
  
The roar from the crowds was deafening as the stands simply erupted. The Gryffindor team were on the ground surrounding Harry, hugging him tightly, within seconds. None of them even got off their brooms. The Gryffindors were all running onto the pitch- Hermione had started running down the steps to the field as soon as Harry caught the Snitch- most of them sending red and gold sparks into the air with their wands, and soon it was like a fireworks display.  
  
Daphne and Lori were hugging each other, crying their eyes out, and Draco shrugged, "Oh well." He said, trying not to grin. Having to accept the Quidditch cup with that bunch of 'people' he called his team mates would have been one of his worst nightmares.  
  
Hermione was among the first to reach the Gryffindor team, and she ran straight up to Harry and Ron and hugged them. How she managed to hug both of them at the same time was beyond anyone- they were standing a couple of feet apart and Ron was still on his broom- but she managed it. Then, suddenly, she whipped out her newspaper and waved it at them.  
  
"Your Dad's Minister! He's the Minister!!!" She yelled at Ron, starting to cry with happiness. Ron stared at the front page of the Daily Prophet, which displayed a large, moving picture of Arthur Weasley's shocked face as he was told the results of the vote. Harry yelled something incoherent and grabbed the paper off of Hermione, who was hugging Ron (who looked like he was fighting back tears) again.  
  
There wasn't time to celebrate- the Gryffindor team were borne away by the crowd towards the podium that held the Quidditch cup. Fred and George noticed that Ron had tears in his eyes, and started to laugh. "It's nothing to cry about mate." Fred said. Ron grinned at him. "Dad's been voted in. He won!" He yelled over the noise of the crowd. Fred and George stared at him; unable to say anything- you could see in their faces they were too happy to speak.  
  
The crowd watched as Dumbledore passed the cup to Harry who was grinning from ear to ear. Amongst them, Hermione had told Ginny about her father, and now she was sobbing onto Lisa's shoulder and trying to applaud at the same time. The news that Arthur Weasley was the new Minister of Magic was travelling through the crowd at lightning speed, and that, combined with the fact the Gryffindor had just won the Quidditch cup, meant that when they raised the silver cup in the air it caused a roar from the crowd that shook the very foundations of Hogwarts castle.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
One more chapter to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! However, I'm going to tell you now that I'm not going to upload it until I've got a name for this thing- so please, please, please, please, HELP ME WITH A TITLE! 


	28. Homeward Bound

Disclaimer- not mine!  
  
This, (sob!) is the last chapter. I'm actually quite sad to see it come to an end- NOT! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO glad this is finished with- you have NO idea. Anywho- here it is, and be prepared to find that this chapter has taken a bit of a leap from the last chapter.  
  
This chapter is all talk, talk, talk, and is incredibly boring, but I had to end it somewhere. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 28- Homeward Bound  
  
"Here goes another two months." Harry said glumly as he, Ron and Hermione got out of the carriage at Hogsmeade station. They couldn't believe it was the end of the year already- the past four months had been a blur of revision, meetings with Dumbledore, revision, Hermione nagging at them to revise, Hermione nagging at them to revise again, meetings with Arthur Weasley, changes going on at the Ministry, Hermione still nagging at them to revise, and just so they didn't miss out anything, revision.  
  
"Cheer up mate." Ron said, clapping him on the back. "At least things at home aren't as bad as they used to be."  
  
Harry shrugged, and looked over at the train, ready to go, with steam billowing out of it and students boarding it noisily. They were among the last to arrive, he realised. "We're not going to get a compartment." He said. Ron and Hermione looked over at the train. They had to agree with Harry- it was almost full.  
  
It was then that Harry noticed Draco Malfoy climbing through the door of a compartment near the middle of the train. Some Hufflepuff fourth years standing near by were whispering amongst themselves and not even trying to disguise the fact they were obviously discussing him.  
  
Harry shook his head. "I can't believe everyone is *still* talking about Malf- Draco." He said to Ron and Hermione. It was hard to remember to say Draco- not Malfoy- all the time. Hermione saw what Harry was looking at and grinned. "Yeah I know. But he didn't make things any better for himself the other week- when he told Millicent off for calling Dennis a Mudblood he gave the gossipmongers a field day." She said philosophically.  
  
Ron sniggered. "Maybe we should go and sit with him," He said. "That'd *really* give them something to talk about."  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione started to laugh, and then stopped, grinning wickedly at each other. Picking up their trunks and cages, they matched determinedly in the direction of Draco Malfoy's compartment.  
  
"Hi Draco." Harry said when they got near the cage. Draco looked up at them in surprise. "Hey." He said uncertainly. Hermione grinned. "Do you mind if we sit with you?" She asked, raising her voice slightly. Draco's eyes widened, and he stared at the three people who used to hate him. Although they hadn't had a fight or insulted each other since the attack in January, they hadn't exactly become friends either.  
  
It was then that Draco looked over Hermione's shoulder and noticed the Hufflepuffs he'd seen talking about him a minute ago were now blatantly watching what was going on, shocked looks on their faces. Draco fought down a laugh as he replied.  
  
"Sure, of course you can." He said, also raising his voice. Harry, Ron and Hermione grinned and climbed onto the train. The Hufflepuffs were now standing stock-still with their jaws practically touching the floor. Ron looked back at them and waved sarcastically, but they still didn't stop staring.  
  
Harry closed the door and the four of them burst out laughing. Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't say anything, but it was the first time they had ever heard Draco laughing- you know, *really* laughing, and not just putting it on. After they stopped laughing, though, there was an awkward silence.  
  
"So," Hermione said, when they were well out of Hogsmeade. "Do you know where you're going this summer?" Hermione asked Draco. "Because Lori told me yesterday that you still didn't know."  
  
"No- actually I found out this morning." Draco replied. "We're staying at the manor, and our Aunt Joliet is going to come and live with us." He said. "Your Aunt?" Harry asked curiously. Draco nodded, shrugging. "My mother's sister- we've never met her- she married a Muggle about ten years ago and so she's been completely disowned. But she's our only family so she's agreed to look after us. Her husband died a few months ago, and she's been living with her daughter in Bristol."  
  
"You've got a cousin?" Harry asked. Draco nodded. "Yeah- Emily I think her name is. She's only two or something." He said. There was another silence, which Draco broke a few minutes later.  
  
"So, Ron- isn't your Dad's official Swearing In tomorrow?" He asked. Ron nodded. "Yeah- even though he's been Minister for four months already. Why can't they do these things sooner?" He complained. Draco shrugged. "At least it's not as bad as Dimming." He said with a grin. Ron grinned as well. "Good point."  
  
"What's Dimming?" Harry asked. "Dimming was a person. He was minister about a hundred years ago- for ten years, but he was never sworn in because there was never any time." Ron explained.  
  
"Are you going to the Swearing In?" Harry asked Hermione who nodded. "Yes, but I'll be sitting at a table at the back with some reporters." She said with a smile. Ron rolled his eyes. "It won't be right at the back, and I did try to get you a seat at."  
  
Hermione held up a hand to stop him talking. "I'm not complaining. I'd rather watch than be watched, which *you* will be at the Top Table." She reminded Ron, whose ears turned pink. Then he shrugged. "Oh well- as long as I don't have to wear that maroon thing." He said. Then he sat up straighter. "I didn't tell you, did I?" He said. "Fred and George bought me new dress robes- gave them to me this morning!" Ron said, grinning.  
  
Hermione and Harry glanced at each other before grinning back at him. "That's a weird thing for them to do." Hermione said, trying not to laugh. Harry nodded in agreement as Ron shrugged. "Yeah well- I'm not going to question them wanting to buy me things." He said.  
  
"Aren't you going to the Swearing In as well then?" Draco asked Harry. Harry shook his head. "No- I have to stay at the Dursley's- that's my Aunt and Uncle's house." He told him.  
  
"And the only reason *I'm* going is because I'm staying at Ron's house for the first two weeks of the holidays." Hermione said. Knowing that Draco was about to ask why, Hermione went on to explain: "My parents are going on a second honeymoon- it's their twentieth wedding anniversary next week- so I'd be left all alone. And I would stay with my cousins, but Daphne and her family are-"  
  
"Going to Tenerife." Draco finished. Hermione nodded. "Yeah, lucky so and so." She said, rolling her eyes. Ron turned to her, pretending to be angry. "Oh, so staying at my house isn't as good as Tenerife, is it?" He said indignantly as Harry started laughing.  
  
Hermione grinned. "I knew he was going to say that." She said to Harry and Draco.  
  
Ron tried to look angry but failed, turning his attention instead to Pig, who was making a very loud racket. "Shut it, Featherbrain." He said, standing up and looking at the tiny owl. Draco looked up at the cage. "I used to have a tiny scopes owl like that, only it was black, and wouldn't sit still at all." He said as Ron sat down again.  
  
"Well, that sounds just like Pig." Harry said with a grin. "He can't sit still for long."  
  
"Yeah, but at least he carries letters and comes to you when you call. Mikey didn't- we had to let him go after a week." Draco said.  
  
"Mikey? That's a weird name for an owl." Ron said with a grin. Draco started to laugh. "You do know your owl's called Pig, don't you?" he said, as Harry and Hermione started to laugh as well. "Anyway," Draco said, "I didn't name him; Lori did. I don't know why."  
  
Ron nodded. "Well, Ginny called Pig Pig." He said.  
  
"Pigwidgeon." Hermione said. "It's not so stupid when you use his full name."  
  
"That's a matter of opinion." Ron said. "Shut up Pig..widgeon." Ron said, as Pig started to hoot again. Ron shook his head. "Nope, it's stupid either way." He said with a grin. "My Aunt doesn't like him much- she should have heard her scream- it was awful. I actually felt a bit guilty for a few seconds." Harry said.  
  
"I take it you don't like your Aunt?" Draco asked. Harry grinned.  
  
"I guess she's a good person.sort of. I think that she's just scared mainly." Harry said, trying to explain.  
  
"Scared of what?" Asked Draco.  
  
"Scared that people might find out that I'm a Wizard- and that her sister was a Witch. Her and my Uncle Vernon think that we're all freaks, and they're ashamed of me." Harry shrugged. "Oh well, their loss I say. I wouldn't give up Hogwarts, even if it meant my Aunt and Uncle would start to treat me like a human. No way."  
  
"How do they treat you?" Draco asked curiously. Harry, Hermione and Ron could see that Draco was asking lots of questions about the Dursleys simply because he'd been taught to think of Muggles in a certain way, and he wanted to see if it was true or not. So Harry told him everything- about his mother being estranged from her sister, about the cupboard, about his hand-me-down things, about Dudley and his sudden change of personality, about the summer where he'd been locked in his room.  
  
It took a long time, and when that conversation was over the four of them talked about other things. When lunch came, they pooled their money and bought tons of food, and sat eating it and cracking jokes, and everyone who walked past the compartment (and there were many, as most people had now heard from the fourth-year Hufflepuffs that Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting with Draco, and felt they had to see it to believe it) heard them laughing and hurried off to tell there friends, and soon it was up and down the train. Many who knew Harry, Ron or Hermione well found some excuse to visit them in their compartment, so that the four of them had a stream of visitors all afternoon.  
  
It soon started to grow dark, and the visits ended. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco were talking about the latest broomsticks (well, Hermione was actually reading, but she did say something now and then.) When the train started to pull into King's Cross, the four of them got their things and crowded out onto the platform with the rest of the students.  
  
"Hey Draco." Lori said, as she walked over to her brother, dragging her trunk behind her. "Hi everyone." Daphne said, also coming over with her trunk and Annor's cage. "So where are you meeting your Aunt?" She asked Draco, who shrugged and turned to face the crowd. "Here, she said. I'm not sure what she."  
  
"Are you Draco? And Leonora?"  
  
Draco and Lori turned round to find a woman carrying a sleeping toddler in her arms. She was mid-thirties, dressed in Muggle clothing, and she and her daughter both had light brown hair. Neither of them looked at all like a Malfoy, but when Draco nodded, she smiled and those standing round were quick to notice she had the same smile as both Lori and Draco.  
  
"I'm Joliet," she said. "And this is Emily. It's wonderful to finally meet you both."  
  
"It's really nice to meet you too." Lori said, obviously warming to the woman straight away.  
  
Joliet smiled more widely as her eyes travelled past her niece and nephew to where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne still stood, watching with interest. "Hello." She said brightly. "And who are you?"  
  
"Hermione Granger." "Daphne Granger." "Harry Potter." "Ron Weasley."  
  
Joliet smiled at each of them as they said their names, and was the first person Harry had ever met after his eleventh birthday that had not looked up at his scar. Just for that, Harry decided that he liked Joliet.  
  
Joliet turned back to Draco. "Friends of yours?" She asked kindly. Draco opened his mouth to answer, but found he didn't *know* the answer. He was saved from answering, however, by Harry, who answered for him. "Yeah, we are." He said.  
  
Draco and Lori both turned to stare at Harry, but turned back round quickly as Joliet started to laugh. "Well, come on then, we should get you both home. I expect your both knackered." She turned to smile at Harry, Ron, Hermione and Daphne again. "Goodbye you four. Have nice summer." Lori and Draco barely had time to wave before they had to run off to catch up with their Aunt, who was walking very fast and talking a mile-a-minute.  
  
"Well, I'm not too great at cooking, really, actually I'm pretty bad- but I'm willing to learn, I mean after I've got three of you to cook for now, so I'm going to have to." and then they couldn't hear anymore.  
  
"Well,-" Daphne started to say, but was cut off by a loud shout.  
  
"Harry! Over here!"  
  
Everyone turned to look to find Dudley Dursley, barely visible through the crowd of parents, trying to find a way through. When he finally found a path, they saw that he was hindered by the fact he was pushing not one, not two, but *three* luggage trolleys.  
  
"Dudley! How did you get on the platform?" Harry asked, evidently very surprised to see his cousin there. Dudley grinned. "Mrs Weasley showed me how to get through." He said, just as Mrs Weasley came over, right on cue.  
  
"Hello!" she said happily. "Ron, Harry, how are you both?"  
  
"Fi-" they both started to say, before being swept up into a massive hug. "I hope you've been staying out of trouble?" She asked sternly, as the two boys nodded the affirmative. She turned to Hermione and Daphne with a big smile. "And how are my favourite Granger cousins?" She asked, hugging them as well. They both giggled.  
  
"Well, I saw Dudley standing around out there, so I thought that I'd bring him onto the platform with me- of course, Muggles can only get through if they've got a qualified Witch or Wizard with them." Mrs Weasley said, smiling at Dudley.  
  
"Where's Uncle Vernon?" Harry asked curiously. Dudley rolled his eyes. "He refused to come into the station, and sent me in instead. I'd better not tell him that I came onto the platform though." He said with a grin. Harry nodded in agreement and turned to his friends.  
  
"Have a good summer you three. See you." Harry started to turn to walk away, but Hermione was too quick for him. "By Harry! Take care." She said as she gave him a tight hug. Harry nodded. "You too." He grinned at Ron. "Whatever you do, don't trip over at the Swearing In. Everyone will see."  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. "You just know I'm going to do that now." He said, pretending to be angry.  
  
Dudley separated the three trolleys. "Here, I got one for each of you. I would have got four if I had known there'd be-um, who are you?" He asked Daphne, who grinned. "I'm Daphne, Hermione's cousin." She said, shaking Dudley's hand. "And don't worry- I'll just nick Hermione's trolley."  
  
Harry and Dudley walked away as Hermione swotted Daphne over the head. "So, did you have a good year?" Harry asked Dudley, who shrugged.  
  
"It was OK- I managed to snap my stick in half though, whacking Piers over the head." He said.  
  
Harry's eyes widened. "Did you get in trouble?" He asked.  
  
Dudley grinned. "No. In fact I got five merits." He said, and they both started laughing. "How about you? Anything interesting happen this year?" Dudley asked as they walked under the wrought iron archway and into the Muggle World.  
  
Harry grinned. "You could say that."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Encyclopedia-  
  
Knackered= very tired Nick= Steal  
  
  
  
Well, that's it! It's finally over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but don't worry, (not that you will) there are three sequels planned (though the second one isn't exactly secure in my mind yet) and the first will be out soon. I am seriously DYING to upload it!  
  
Now it's time for an important announcement! As you all know, this story has been known as 'Please Help Me With A Title!' since it was uploaded on the 23rd of December, 2001. And now, I am VERY pleased, thrilled, delighted, content, satisfied, excited, elated, ecstatic, overjoyed, jubilant and every other synonym I can think of, to announce the new title is, ::drumroll:: -I HAVEN'T GOT ONE YET!!!!!!! OK, I still haven't got a title, but I just REALLY wanted this done with.  
  
Anyway, to be more specific in my search; I want the title to have something to do with Moyens, seeing as this is the first of the Moyen series. The next story will be called the 'Fate of the Moyens', or that might be the name of the one after, I haven't decided yet- but you get the idea. SOMETHING RELEVANT! I am really grateful to all those who suggested titles, and am now begging them to PLEASE suggest some more!  
  
I'm going to upload a new part of this story when I've got a title, telling you what it is and also giving all my thank yous and everything. (I have many). I'm also seriously considering writing a mini-sequel about the swearing-in of Arthur Weasley, in which Ron has his first journalistic interview! (Hee, hee, hee!) That will be uploaded soon, if I decide to do it.  
  
Well, that's it folks! Thanx for the support, and please review to let me know what you thought of the final chapter! Sorry it was so lame!  
  
See you all later, and remember- PLEASE HELP ME WITH A TITLE!!!  
  
Luv sparkley xxx 


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